What happened
During an instrument approach and landing in heavy rain, the aircraft type touched down at a speed approximately 21 knots above the recommended landing reference speed. The touchdown occurred near the displaced threshold at roughly 128 knots. While the ground spoilers deployed automatically, the aircraft failed to decelerate effectively despite prompt braking by the pilot. Although the main wheels initially spun up, the wheel speeds subsequently dropped, a condition consistent with hydroplaning due to the intense rainfall. During the landing roll, the flight crew received a warning regarding an anti-skid failure. The pilot then engaged the emergency brake system.
The aircraft continued down the runway, eventually overrunning the departure end at approximately 60 knots. The path of the aircraft took it across an airport perimeter road and into a small creek, where it finally came to a stop. The impact resulted in the wings separating from the fuselage. At the time of the accident, the airport was experiencing heavy precipitation, with rainfall rates estimated between 4.2 and 6.0 inches per hour. Visibility had significantly degraded from 3 miles to 3/8 mile in the minutes leading up to the landing.
Findings
Investigation into the incident identified several contributing factors. The approach was determined to be unstabilized due to the high touchdown speed. The presence of heavy rain and the resulting hydroplaning were primary factors in the loss of braking effectiveness. Evidence of reverted rubber wear on the tires supported the conclusion of hydroplaning. Additionally, the pilot had opted not to activate the onboard weather radar, relying instead on a tablet and multifunction display, which showed only light to moderate rain. While the tower controller provided updates on wind changes, the pilot was not notified of the specific decrease in visibility along the final approach course. Furthermore, the pilot applied the emergency brake while the main brakes were still functional, albeit without anti-skid protection.