What happened
On September 29, 2016, a Jetstream 3201, registration HK4854, was performing an air taxi operation from La Macarena to Villavicencio. During the landing phase on runway 05 at Vanguardia Airport (SKVV), the aircraft made touchdown and began its deceleration roll. During this phase, the crew lost directional control of the aircraft, causing it to veer off the right side of the runway. The aircraft traveled approximately 1,031 meters along the runway before exiting the pavement and entering the safety area, where it traveled an additional 41 meters before coming to a stop.
All 19 passengers and the two crew members evacuated the aircraft on their own without injury. There were no injuries reported, and the aircraft sustained no damage during the event. The incident occurred during daylight hours under visual meteorological conditions (VMC).
The investigation
The GRIAA investigation examined the aircraft's technical status, the flight data, and the crew's training records. Analysis of the Flight Data Recorder (FDR) confirmed that while the approach was stabilized, there were abrupt changes in heading and speed following touchdown. The investigation found that the aircraft's mechanical systems, including the engines, propellers, brakes, and nose wheel steering, were fully functional and maintained according to maintenance manuals.
Meteorological data from the airport's automatic station indicated a crosswind of 4.9 knots and a tailwind of 3.9 knots at the time of the incident, both of which were within the aircraft's operational limits. The investigation also noted that the Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR) could not be downloaded because the unit had been placed in "bulk erase" mode, though investigators could not determine if this was intentional.
Findings
- The lateral runway excursion was caused by a loss of directional control during the landing and deceleration phase.
- Training processes were insufficient regarding the supervision and monitoring of crew performance during simulator proficiency checks, specifically concerning directional control during takeoff and landing.
- The aircraft was operating within its weight and balance limits and within all operational envelopes.
- No mechanical failures or runway surface defects contributed to the excursion.