Utopia, AK, USA
N792FC
Piper PA-31-350
The airline transport pilot was landing a twin engine airplane to the west on a 4,100 foot long, snow-covered gravel runway. The airport is surrounded by mountains, except to the east, requiring that arriving aircraft use the westerly runway, and departing aircraft use the easterly runway. Prior to landing, the pilot reported winds to be out of the east at 17 knots, with peak gusts to 29 knots. In an attempt to avoid turbulence while on approach, he selected a touchdown point that was about midpoint on the runway. Just before touchdown, a strong gust of wind lifted the airplane, and carried it further down the runway than the anticipated touchdown point. Without room to complete a successful go-around, the pilot landed the airplane on the remaining runway, and applied heavy braking action. The airplane overran the end of the runway, and struck a snow bank, sustaining structural damage to the fuselage. The pilot noted that there were no preaccident mechanical anomalies with the airplane.
On December 15, 2004, about 1115 Alaska standard time, a twin engine Piper PA-31-350 airplane, N792FC, sustained substantial damage when it struck a snow bank during a runway overrun while landing at the Indian Mountain Airport, Utopia, Alaska. The airplane was being operated by Warbelow's Air Ventures, of Fairbanks, Alaska, as a Title 14, CFR Part 135, on-demand charter flight when the accident occurred. The airline transport pilot and the three passengers were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident, and a VFR flight plan was filed. The flight originated at the Fairbanks International Airport, Fairbanks, about 1006. During a telephone conversation with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator-in-charge (IIC) on December 16, the pilot reported that the Indian Mountain Airport is surrounded by mountainous terrain, except to the east. He added that due to rising terrain around the airport, arriving aircraft use runway 24, and departing aircraft use runway 6. The pilot reported that prior to landing he contacted a weather observer at the Indian Mountain Airport for an airport weather advisory report, and winds were reported to be 070 degrees at 17 knots, with peak gusts to 29 knots. He said that while landing on runway 24, and in an attempt to avoid turbulence while on approach, he selected a touchdown point that was located about midway on the 4,100-foot long, snow-covered gravel runway. The pilot reported that just before touchdown, a strong gust of wind lifted the airplane about 50-feet into the air, and carried the airplane farther down the runway from his anticipated touchdown point. He said that a successful go-around was not probable, and he landed the airplane on the remaining runway and applied heavy braking. The airplane continued to the end of the runway, struck a snow bank, and entered the overrun area. The pilot noted that there were no preaccident mechanical anomalies with the airplane. The airplane was subsequently ferried to the operator's maintenance facility in Fairbanks, where the operator's maintenance personnel discovered structural damage to the fuselage.
The pilot's misjudged distance/speed while on final approach to land, which resulted in an overrun during the landing roll. Factors associated with the accident are the pilot's inadequate weather evaluation, and a gusty tailwind.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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