What happened
In the early hours of 24 March 2010, a Boeing 727-225, registration C-GCJZ, was operating a scheduled cargo flight from Hamilton/John Munro International Airport to Greater Moncton International Airport. The flight, operated by Cargojet, arrived at Moncton during a period of light rain and gusting winds.
While performing an Instrument Landing System (ILS) approach to Runway 06, the aircraft encountered heavy rain. The captain elected to fly the approach manually rather than using a pilot-monitored approach. During the landing roll, the aircraft touched down between 2,000 and 2,500 feet from the threshold at a speed higher than required. As the aircraft traveled down the runway, it began to veer to the right. In an attempt to maintain the centerline, the crew reduced reverse thrust, which further extended the required stopping distance. The aircraft was unable to stop before the end of the paved runway, exiting the runway end strip at approximately 50 knots and coming to rest in deep mud. There were no injuries to the three crew members on board, and the aircraft sustained only minor damage.
The investigation
The investigation examined the operational decisions made by the crew, the aircraft's landing performance, and the environmental conditions at the time of the accident. Investigators looked into the decision to use Runway 06 instead of Runway 11, which offered more landing distance. The analysis also focused on the impact of the heavy rain and the lack of updated runway surface condition reports. Furthermore, the investigation reviewed the regulatory requirements for dispatch safety margins on contaminated runways in Canada and the effectiveness of the aircraft's braking and anti-skid systems during hydroplaning.