What happened
On August 20, 2014, a Cessna 210L, registration PR-GPG, was conducting an aeromedical transport flight for the Indigenous Health Secretariat (SUSAI). The aircraft departed from Aeródromo de Pouso da Áకి (SWPD) in Cantá, Roraima, destined for the Wilimon aerodrome (SJNF) in Uiramutã, Roraima. The crew consisted of one pilot and one passenger.
During the initial approach to the destination, the pilot observed bird activity near the runway and executed a go-around. On the second approach, the pilot elected to land on runway 02, intending to avoid the bird hazards. However, the pilot did not account for the prevailing wind conditions at the time. The aircraft touched down with a tailwind, which prevented the pilot from stopping the aircraft within the runway limits. The aircraft overran the threshold by approximately 20 meters. During the subsequent maneuver to reposition the aircraft on the runway, the left wing leading edge sustained minor damage. Both occupants were uninjured.
The investigation
CENIPA investigators examined the environmental and operational factors at the Wilimon aerodrome, a private facility. The investigation analyzed the runway characteristics, noting it is a 550-meter unpaved strip located in a mountainous area (1,739 ft) with a 25-meter slope in the direction of landing.
While regional wind trends in Roraima typically favor directions between 60° and 90°, the wind at the time of the occurrence was from 200° at approximately 8 knots. This resulted in a tailwind component during the landing on runway 02. Calculations based on the performance tables for the Cessna 210L indicated that, even without a tailwind, the required landing distance for the aircraft's weight and configuration was approximately 510 meters, leaving a very narrow margin for error on the 550-meter runway.
Findings
- Pilot judgment regarding the selection of runway 02 failed to account for the actual wind direction.
- The landing was performed with a tailwind.
- The combination of the tailwind, the unpaved surface, the runway slope, and the limited runway length contributed to the overrun.
- Flight planning and command application were insufficient for the specific environmental conditions present during the second approach.