What happened
On 22 May 2011, a Britten-Norman BN2A-26 Islander, registration VP-MON, was conducting a scheduled passenger flight from Antigua to Montserrat. During the approach to Runway 28, the pilot requested a change in landing direction due to local weather conditions.
Upon touchdown, the pilot applied the brakes, which caused the aircraft to skid. Fearing the aircraft would run off the end of the paved surface, the commander executed a touch-and-go maneuver to attempt a second approach. During the subsequent landing roll on the second attempt, the aircraft skidded again when braking was applied. To prevent an overrun, the pilot steered the aircraft onto the grass verge. The aircraft eventually came to a stop 46 meters beyond the end of the runway. There were no injuries to the seven passengers or the crew, and the aircraft sustained no damage.
The investigation
Investigators examined the runway surface and the aircraft's braking performance. The runway was noted to be damp, and recent rain had been recorded in the area. Physical evidence showed skid marks on the pavement, with the aircraft's tracks leaving the paved surface approximately 115 to 148 meters from the runway end.
Engineers from the aircraft owner's organization provided information regarding the braking system. It was noted that the aircraft's right main tyre marks indicated a skid. The investigation also looked into a previous serious incident involving a different aircraft from the same operator at the same airport, which had resulted in structural damage.
Findings
- The runway surface was damp at the time of the incident.
- The pilot was performing his first landing on Runway 28.
- The aircraft skidded due to insufficient braking effectiveness on the damp surface.
- There were no overrun areas available at the end of the runway, which features a vertical drop exceeding 200 feet.