What happened
On November 14, 2014, at 13:50 local time, a Jetstream 32, registration HK4548, was performing a scheduled passenger flight from Quibdó to Bahía Solano, Colombia. The aircraft, operated by Aerolínea de Antioquia (ADA S.A.), was carrying 17 passengers and two crew members.
During the landing on runway 36 at Aeródromo José Celestino Mutis (SKBS), the aircraft failed to decelerate sufficiently and overran the end of runway 18, coming to a stop 26 meters beyond the threshold. All 19 occupants evacuated the aircraft safely without injuries. The aircraft sustained minor damage, specifically deformation to the propeller blades of both engines and surface damage to the fuselage caused by debris.
The investigation
The GRIAA investigation established that the aircraft landed with an estimated weight of 14,800 lbs. While the total available runway length was approximately 1,310 meters, the aircraft made contact with the runway 340 meters from the start of runway 36.
The investigation examined the airfield conditions, noting that the runway was undergoing recent repaving work at the 36 threshold, while the remainder of the asphalt surface showed signs of deterioration and delamination. Additionally, the investigation noted that the windsock structures were in poor condition and that the placement of the wind direction indicators was partially obscured by nearby trees. The investigation also reviewed the flight crew's performance and the aircraft's technical status, finding no mechanical failures or malfunctions in the engines or flight controls.
Findings
- The primary cause of the excursion was that the available runway length was insufficient for the aircraft to decelerate given its weight and the density altitude.
- The crew performed a landing outside of the touchdown zone (TDZ).
- There was a deficient risk assessment regarding the landing distance available, especially considering the aircraft's weight and the degraded surface conditions.
- The crew failed to properly account for the reduced braking performance on the deteriorated pavement.