What happened
On the landing phase of a flight into Hamburg, Alberta, Canada, the crew of C-GKBN, a Beechcraft 200 Super King Air, encountered difficulties upon touchdown. The aircraft, carrying five passengers, was performing a straight-in approach using approach flap settings. The runway surface was covered in ice and approximately two inches of snow. During the landing, which was noted to be quite firm and occurred with a five-knot tailwind, the aircraft lost directional control.
Following the loss of control, the plane veered sideways across the runway strip. The movement caused the aircraft to strike a windrow of snow, which subsequently redirected the plane off the paved surface and into a nearby group of trees. While the aircraft sustained substantial damage, there were no injuries reported among the occupants.
Findings
Investigations into the accident highlighted several environmental and operational factors. The aircraft had accumulated approximately 1/8 inch of ice accretion on its surfaces during the approach. Additionally, the crew utilized approach flaps rather than the designated landing flap configuration for the arrival.
A significant contributing factor identified by company representatives was the condition of the runway itself. An inspection of the surface following the event revealed a diagonal rut running across the runway. This pre-existing rut was believed to have potentially contributed to the pilot's inability to maintain directional control during the touchdown.