Beechcraft B90 King Air, Direct Aviation LLC, N821DA: Accident occurred October 22, 2012 in Sturtevant, Wisconsin

NTSB Identification: CEN13LA023 
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Monday, October 22, 2012 in Sturtevant, WI
Probable Cause Approval Date: 09/30/2013
Aircraft: BEECH B90, registration: N821DA
Injuries: 1 Minor, 1 Uninjured.

NTSB investigators may not have traveled in support of this investigation and used data provided by various sources to prepare this aircraft accident report.

The pilot reported that the airplane floated during the landing flare, touched down long, bounced, and went off the end of the runway. The airplane struck two ditches before coming to rest on a road. The pilot stated that he should have recognized that braking action would be significantly reduced with the possibility of hydroplaning, that pulling the power levers to the stops before touchdown induced a lag in realization of reverse thrust, and that he should have executed a go-around when the airplane floated before landing. No mechanical failures or malfunctions of the airplane were reported. Heavy rain was reported about the time of the accident at a nearby airport.

The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident as follows:
The pilot's decision to continue the landing after touching down long and on a wet runway that reduced the airplane’s braking capability, which resulted in an overrun.

On October 22, 2012, about 1845 central daylight time, a Beech B90 airplane, N821DA, collided with a fence and a ditch when it overran runway 8R (2,272 feet by 38 feet, asphalt) while landing at the Sylvania Airport (C89), Sturtevant, Wisconsin. The commercial pilot was not injured and his passenger received minor injuries. The airplane sustained damage to its fuselage and both wings. The airplane was registered to Direct Action Aviation LLC, and was operated by Skydive Midwest. The accident flight was conducted under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight, which was not operated on a flight plan. The flight originated from the Jackson County Airport-Reynolds Field (JXN), Jackson, Michigan, about 1800.

The pilot reported that the landing approach was normal and when the airplane crossed the runway threshold it floated and he pulled the engine power levers to the stops. He stated that although he did not remember the airplane bouncing, his passenger told him that it had. He pulled the power levers to reverse, but there was no immediate reverse thrust. He applied brakes and felt the airplane accelerate. He recognized that he would not be able to stop the airplane on the remaining runway and attempted to steer it to the north. The airplane left the runway, impacted two ditches and came to rest on a highway. The pilot stated that he should have recognized that braking action would be significantly reduced with the possibility of hydroplaning, that pulling the power levers to the stops before touchdown induced a lag in realization of reverse thrust, and that he should have executed a go-around when the airplane floated before landing. The pilot reported no mechanical failures or malfunctions of the airplane.

At 1853, weather conditions reported at the Kenosha regional Airport (ENW), located 6 miles south of the accident site, included heavy rain.

NTSB Identification: CEN13LA023
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Monday, October 22, 2012 in Sturtevant, WI
Aircraft: BEECH B90, registration: N821DA
Injuries: 1 Minor,1 Uninjured.

This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. Any errors in this report will be corrected when the final report has been completed. NTSB investigators may not have traveled in support of this investigation and used data provided by various sources to prepare this aircraft accident report.

On October 22, 2012, about 1845 central daylight time, a Beech B90 airplane, N821DA, collided with a fence and a ditch when it overran runway 8R while landing at the Sylvania Airport (C89), Sturtevant, Wisconsin. The commercial pilot was not injured and his passenger received minor injuries. The airplane sustained damage to its fuselage and both wings. The aircraft was registered to Direct Action Aviation LLC, and was operated by Skydive Midwest. The accident flight was conducted under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight, which was not operated on a flight plan. The flight originated from the Jackson County Airport-Reynolds Field (JXN), Jackson, Michigan, at an unconfirmed time.

RACINE COUNTY — The proposed flying suspension for the Racine area pilot who crashed his plane on Interstate-94 last October has been reduced, according to the Federal Aviation Administration.

The suspension of pilot Keith George’s commercial pilot certificate has been reduced from a proposed 180 days to 60 days, FAA spokesperson Elizabeth Cory said in an email Thursday morning.

On Oct. 22 of last year, during a return trip from Michigan with his girlfriend, the Beech B90 airplane piloted by George overshot the first part of the runway at Yorkville’s Sylvania Airport, continuing across a ditch and onto the Interstate, according to the FAA report.

An investigation by the agency determined that weather conditions during the flight, including heavy rain and low visibility, would have required instruments with which the particular airplane was not equipped.

Several witnesses in the area during the time also reported conditions that were not above minimum standards for a pane like the one flown by George, including a captain from American Airlines who was flying from New York to Chicago at the time and remembered a brief discussion with a co-pilot about why a plane like George’s would be flying through the weather conditions at the time.

Following an investigation, the FAA proposed suspending George’s commercial pilot certificate for 180 days. However, he challenged that proposal. George's case has since been settled and he is currently undergoing a 60-day suspension of his commercial pilot certificate.

Story:   http://journaltimes.com