What happened
During a night flight under instrument meteorological conditions, a Learjet 35A was performing a positioning flight to Kansas City International Airport (MCI). Due to the closure of MCI following an incident involving a McDonnell Douglas MD83, the flight diverted to Charles B. Wheeler Downtown Airport (MKC). The aircraft was operating with thrust reversers inoperative, in accordance with the permitted minimum equipment list.
Prior to the arrival, the runway surface at MKC had been treated with snow removal operations. While the runway had been plowed, a layer of approximately 1/4 inch of snow remained. During the approach, the flightcrew inquired about braking action. The tower relayed a report of "fair" braking action, which was based on a preceding Cessna 210 Centurion. However, the pilot of the Cessna had not utilized brakes during their landing and did not disclose this fact during the report.
Upon landing on runway 19, the Learjet 35A failed to stop within the runway limits. The aircraft slid off the departure end of the runway, striking airport property and terrain. The accident resulted in no fatalities, though the aircraft sustained substantial damage.
Findings
- The aircraft was operating with inoperative thrust reversers.
- The braking action report provided to the crew was potentially misleading because the preceding aircraft had not applied brakes during its landing roll.
- The runway surface was covered in a thin layer of snow following recent snow removal efforts.