Runway excursion involving small jet at uncontrolled airport

No fatalities • Howell, United States of America • Landing (descent or approach)

A small jet veered off the runway and overturned after landing on an icy surface, resulting in no reported fatalities but significant damage.

What happened

During a landing approach at an uncontrolled airport, the pilot of a small jet exited cloud cover and canceled his instrument flight plan. Although the pilot noted that there was no active precipitation, he expressed concern that the runway might be icy. Upon seeing another aircraft holding short on a taxiway, the pilot assumed the runway surface was safe for landing. While the pilot communicated his position and intentions via the common traffic advisory frequency, he did not specifically ask for updates regarding runway friction levels.

Witnesses observed that the approach appeared stable. However, upon touchdown, the pilot found that the brakes provided no deceleration. In an attempt to regain control, the pilot retracted the flaps, spoilers, and speed brakes, and increased engine power. This caused the aircraft to yaw to the left. The pilot reduced power to idle and used the rudder to attempt to correct the flight path, but the aircraft exited the runway boundaries. The aircraft traveled through a perimeter fence and across a road before coming to rest in an inverted position.

An aircraft that had been holding short of the runway was occupied by a pilot and a mechanic who were taxiing to a maintenance facility. They confirmed that the taxiways were indeed icy. Local witnesses also noted that the surrounding roads were extremely slick due to ice.

Findings

Investigation of the flight data confirmed that the pilot maintained a stabilized approach and landed near the start of the runway. However, the icy runway conditions caused the aircraft to exceed the available landing distance by more than 8,000 feet. A significant contributing factor was the lack of warning regarding the surface state, as airport personnel had not issued a NOTAM regarding the ice. The airport manager was in the process of transitioning to a new digital NOTAM management system, and the staff member present at the airport had not yet received training on the new software.

Probable cause

The aircraft exceeded the available runway length due to a lack of braking action on an icy surface that had not been reported via NOTAM.

Frequently asked questions

What happened in the 2017-01-16 Cessna 525C CitationJet CJ4 accident near Howell, United States of America?

A small jet veered off the runway and overturned after landing on an icy surface, resulting in no reported fatalities but significant damage.

Were there any fatalities in the 2017-01-16 Cessna 525C CitationJet CJ4 accident?

No fatalities were recorded in this accident.

What aircraft was involved and where did it happen?

The accident on 2017-01-16 involved a Cessna 525C CitationJet CJ4, registration N525PZ, operated by Zeliff Aviation, at Howell, United States of America.

What was the probable cause of the accident?

The aircraft exceeded the available runway length due to a lack of braking action on an icy surface that had not been reported via NOTAM.

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