What happened
During the final approach to the destination airport, the flight crew prepared for arrival by setting calculated landing speeds. As the aircraft approached the runway markings, the crew experienced a sensation of being pushed upward, which they attributed to a shift in wind toward a tailwind or an updraft. A passenger on board noted that the aircraft appeared to be at an excessive altitude throughout the approach and during the base-to-final turn, observing a bank angle exceeding 45 degrees.
Flight data and cockpit voice recordings indicate that the captain experienced difficulty judging the approach. Approximately 16 seconds after a 500-foot altitude alert, the ground proximity warning system issued a "sink rate, pull up" command. Data from the flight recorder showed the aircraft was descending at an indicated airspeed of approximately 124 knots about 23 seconds before touchdown. While the landing reference speed (vREF) was set to 97 knots, the actual approach speed remained significantly higher at 124 knots until moments before weight-on-wheels was recorded.
Upon touchdown, the captain initially applied brakes with perceived success, but soon realized the aircraft was not decelerating. After applying maximum braking, the aircraft began veering toward the right. Although the pilot managed to return to the runway centerline, the aircraft eventually exited the departure end of the runway and descended down a steep embankment. A post-accident inspection of the braking system and the aircraft found no mechanical failures that would have prevented normal operation.
Findings
- The aircraft was traveling at an indicated airspeed of 124 knots, which was significantly higher than the calculated required speed for the given wind conditions.
- The excessive approach speed resulted in a required landing distance of approximately 5,624 feet, which exceeded the available 5,132-foot runway length and the 123-foot overrun area.
- There were no mechanical malfunctions or failures identified in the braking or flight control systems.