20071216828009A

(-23) On December 16, 2007, air Wisconsin flight 3758, N470ZW a Bombardier CL-600 originated a 14 CFR part 121 flight from philadelphia, pa (kphl) to Providence, RI (kpvd). The flight departed phl at 1605 local time and arrived at phl at 1645. There were 31 passengers on board and a crew of 3. The weather at the time of the accident was reported as 1 3/4 ra br ovc 003 03/02 A29.06 (1 3/4 miles visibility with rain, mist, overcast 300 feet, temperature 3 degrees celsius, dew point 2 degrees celsius, altimeter setting 29.06. The aircraft touched down very hard within the first 1200 feet of runway 5. At about 2000 feet the left main wheel began making marks along the west or left side of the runway pavement edge as indicated by the tire marks in the snow off of the runway pavement. The aircraft damaged 5 consecutive runway lights before leaving the pavement. Runway lights are located 10 feet fom the runway edge markings. At approximately 3200 feet the aircraft nose wheel and right main wheels began leaving tracks in the snow indicating the aircraft had departed the paved runway surface. The tracks of the left main gear disappear for approximately 200 feet then reappear. All three landing gear began leaving marks in the snow as the aircraft slid sideways until it came to a rest at approximately the 3700 foot point of the runway approximately 300 foot from the centerline runway 5. The aircraft's heading after it came to rest was 320 degrees. There was no emergency evacuation initiated by the air Wisconsin crew. The left main gear collapsed and was folded aft up into the upper wing and flap area. The trunnion housing was cracked in half. The gear attach point had been driven through the upper surface of the left wing. The left flap was damaged and torn from the inboard attach point. The left flap was damaged. The left wingtip was damaged and the strobe assembly was located at approximately the 3000 feet point of the runway. The landing gear trunnion attach bushings were located on the runway at approximately the 1000 foot mark of the runway indicating the gear was damaged during the initial touchdown. There was a trail of aircraft debris from the 1000 foot mark of the runway continuing to the accident site. Radar data indicates that the aircraft was left of course during the approach to runway 5. At 1645:16 the radar data indicates the aircraft was in a right turn to line up with the runway. The radar data shows at 1645:19 the aircraft was to the FAR right side of the runway over the area that the left main gear trunnion bushing debris was found. The radar data shows the aircraft continued to drift left to the point where it departed the runway where it came to rest. Numerous passenger reports also indicate the aircraft was to the left of the runway on approach and at a very low altitude, abruptly banked right then left before touching down very hard. Many of the passengers also reported hearing a loud bang as the aircraft touched down. The tower voice tapes indicate the tower contacted the Providence airport rescue firefighters (ARFF) when the controller saw sparks coming from the aircraft during landing. Approximately 42 seconds after the controller called for the ARFF the air Wisconsin (aw) pilot requested the ARFF trucks to roll. Approximately 1 minute and 39 seconds after the initial call to the ARFF, the crew reported they were on the scene and requested if any passengers needed medical assistance. At approximately 1 minute and 55 seconds after initial contact the aw pilot stated they would get back to the ARFF in a minute. At approximately 2 minutes and 18 seconds the ARFF asked if the aw crew could open the aircraft up. At approximately 2 minutes and 45 seconds after initial contact the aw crew responded they would open the service door. At approximately 4 minutes and 46 seconds the crew reported to the ARFF via radio that there were no passenger injuries and they were requesting a bus to come pick up the passengers. At approximately 5 minutes and 59 seconds the ARFF asked again via radio if the aw crew could open the door up. At approximately 6 minutes and 59 seconds the aw crew finally opened the service door up so the ARFF could gain access to the passengers. In the rhode island aeronautics inspectors report he stated the passenger and crew were still on board the aircraft when he arrived on scene at 1700 and all of the passengers and crew were off by 1800.