What happened
On 1 March 2005, a Jabiru SP 470, registration ZU-CHJ, was performing an aerial survey mission when it experienced a runway excursion at Springs Aerodrome. The flight originated from Baragwanath Aerodrome, and the pilot was en route to Springs for the next leg of the survey. Upon arriving at the airfield, the pilot joined the traffic circuit at 7,000 feet and transitioned to the final approach for Runway 03.
The aircraft touched down approximately 300 meters past the runway threshold. Although the pilot attempted to apply the brakes roughly 550 meters past the threshold, the braking system failed to decelerate the aircraft. The pilot considered initiating a go-around but ultimately proceeded with the landing attempt. Consequently, the aircraft overran the runway, striking the aerodrome perimeter fence before coming to a stop on the far side. There were no injuries to the pilot or the passenger, though the aircraft suffered minor damage to the propeller, windows, wing struts, and the right-hand undercarriage.
The investigation
Investigators examined the flight parameters and the aircraft's maintenance history. The aircraft had a valid Authority to Fly and had undergone its annual inspection less than two weeks prior to the incident. At the time of the event, the aircraft had only flown 8 hours since its last major inspection.
The investigation also looked into the operator's regulatory status. While the operator had applied for a Part 96 Operating Certificate earlier in 2005, a recent audit by the Flight Operations department had identified four minor non-compliances, for which the operator had been granted a four-month period to rectify.
Findings
- The pilot conducted the landing at an indicated airspeed of 70 knots, which significantly exceeded the recommended approach speed of 56 knots for full flaps.
- The excessive approach speed caused the brakes to heat up rapidly upon application.
- This rapid temperature increase led to a loss of braking efficiency and the subsequent failure of the brakes to stop the aircraft within the runway limits.