Runway excursion involving aircraft during landing on wet surface

No fatalities • Columbia-Mount Pleasant-Maury County, United States of America • Landing (descent or approach)

An aircraft veered off the end of the runway during the landing roll following a perceived anti-skid system failure on a wet runway.

What happened

Prior to landing, the pilot calculated the necessary performance requirements for an arrival on a wet runway using the anti-skid system, determining that the available runway length was adequate. The aircraft made a standard touchdown, but during the subsequent deceleration, the aircraft began to oscillate or fishtail. Believing the anti-skid system had malfunctioned, the pilot manually deactivated the system and proceeded with the rollout using conventional braking.

As a result of this action, the aircraft exited the departure end of runway 05. The incident resulted in substantial damage to the aircraft, though no fatalities or injuries were reported.

Findings

An investigation into the event revealed that the aircraft's mechanical systems were fully operational, with no defects found in the anti-skid system. Data regarding landing performance indicated that the runway length was insufficient to safely stop the aircraft on a wet surface without the use of anti-skid assistance. The behavior observed during the braking phase was consistent with dynamic hydroplaning, which caused a total loss of braking efficiency, rather than a mechanical failure of the anti-skid hardware.

Probable cause

The pilot's decision to disable the anti-skid system during a period of dynamic hydroplaning led to insufficient braking performance on the wet runway.

Frequently asked questions

What happened in the 1991-07-02 Learjet 23 accident near Columbia-Mount Pleasant-Maury County, United States of America?

An aircraft veered off the end of the runway during the landing roll following a perceived anti-skid system failure on a wet runway.

Were there any fatalities in the 1991-07-02 Learjet 23 accident?

No fatalities were recorded in this accident.

What aircraft was involved and where did it happen?

The accident on 1991-07-02 involved a Learjet 23, registration N500FM, operated by Kalitta Charters - Kalitta Services, at Columbia-Mount Pleasant-Maury County, United States of America.

What was the probable cause of the accident?

The pilot's decision to disable the anti-skid system during a period of dynamic hydroplaning led to insufficient braking performance on the wet runway.

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