What happened
A Piper PA-31-350 Chieftain, registration C-GNAY, was being repositioned from Vancouver to Powell River for a freight route when it was involved in a fatal accident. During the arrival, the crew encountered rapidly changing weather caused by a passing cold front. After an initial unsuccessful approach, the crew attempted a second approach to Runway 09.
As the aircraft touched down halfway down the wet runway, it began to hydroplane. In an attempt to abort the landing, the crew applied engine power, but the aircraft could not be stopped. The plane overran the runway, crossed an embankment, and struck a deer fence and a dirt berm before coming to rest. The crash resulted in one fatality and one serious injury.
The investigation
The investigation examined the aircraft's configuration, the runway conditions, and the meteorological environment. Investigators found that the aircraft was within weight limits but was operating under visual flight rules due to a deferred defect in the ADF. The cockpit controls indicated that the crew had completed much of the landing checklist, though the engine power was set for takeoff and the landing gear selector was in the up position.
Analysis of the landing gear showed that while the left gear was extended, the down-lock was not engaged. The investigation also noted that the aircraft's airspeed indicators showed speeds near the stall threshold. The weather station at the airport had recorded a significant shift in wind direction and intensity just minutes before the accident, moving from light southwesterly to northwest gusts of up to 37 knots.
Findings
- The downwind condition on approach caused the aircraft to land with high ground speed and further down the runway.
- Hydroplaning on the wet surface prevented the crew from stopping the aircraft within the remaining runway length.
- There was insufficient distance remaining to accelerate to a safe liftoff speed once the decision to abort the landing was made.
- While the runway overrun area met regulatory standards, the presence of an embankment and obstacles beyond the strip contributed to the severity of the injuries and the destruction of the aircraft.