What happened
On October 17, 2019, a Saab SA-2000 operated by Peninsula Aviation Services Inc. (PenAir) was performing a landing approach at Unalaska Airport (DUT) in Alaska. During the initial approach to runway 13, the flight crew performed a go-around and entered the traffic pattern to attempt a second landing on the same runway.
Prior to the second approach, the crew was notified that wind conditions at the midfield point were 24 knots from 300 degrees. While this indicated a significant tailwind for runway 13, the crew proceeded with the landing on that runway instead of switching to runway 31, which would have provided a more favorable wind direction. Upon touchdown, the aircraft was experiencing a 15-knot tailwind.
According to the captain, the aircraft initially responded to braking, but the crew subsequently experienced a total loss of braking effectiveness despite applying maximum pressure. The aircraft exited the end of the runway, traveling through the 300-foot runway safety area and coming to a stop outside the airport boundaries. The impact resulted in substantial damage to the aircraft. Of the 42 people on board, 1 fatality occurred, 1 passenger sustained serious injuries, and 8 passengers suffered minor injuries, primarily during the evacuation process. The 3 crewmembers and 29 passengers remained uninjured.
Findings
Investigations determined that the aircraft overran the runway due to the presence of a 15-knot tailwind during the landing phase. Although the crew was aware of the wind shift, they did not opt for the alternative runway direction that would have mitigated the tailwind component.