# NTSB BFO93FA049: British Aerospace BAE 3101, N159PC, Beckley, WV, March 18, 1993 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Field investigation · Final report - Date: March 17, 1993, 19:11 local (Mar 18, 1993, 00:11 UTC) - Place: Beckley, WV - Coordinates: 37.739151, -81.150436 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=37.7392&lon=-81.1504&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Minor injuries - Injuries: 1 minor, 3 uninjured - Status: Completed, report May 10, 1994 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 11870 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=BFO93FA049 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/11870/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/BFO93FA049 ## Probable cause FAILURE OF THE CAPTAIN TO ASSURE PROPER ALIGNMENT WITH THE PLOWED PORTION OF THE RUNWAY (OR PERFORM A MISSED APPROACH). FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: DARKNESS, THE ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITION, INADEQUATE REMOVAL OF SNOW FROM THE RUNWAY WITH SNOW ALONG THE LEFT EDGE OF THE RUNWAY, AND THE LACK OF VISUAL CUES (PERCEPTION) FOR THE PILOT(S). ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - In flight encounter with weather, approach - faf/outer marker to threshold (ifr) - light condition - dark night (contributing factor) - weather condition - low ceiling (contributing factor) - weather condition - fog (contributing factor) - weather condition - snow (contributing factor) - weather condition - drizzle/mist (contributing factor) - weather condition - obscuration (contributing factor) - In flight collision with terrain/water, landing - flare/touchdown - airport snow removal - inadequate (contributing factor) - airport facilities,runway/landing area condition - snow covered (contributing factor) - proper alignment - not attained, pilot in command (cause) - visual/aural perception, pilot in command (contributing factor) - missed approach - not performed, pilot in command (cause) - Main gear collapsed, landing - landing gear - overload ## Analysis AFTER VERIFYING WEATHER WAS ABOVE MINIMUMS FOR LANDING, THE CAPTAIN BEGAN AN ILS RUNWAY 19 APPROACH AT NIGHT IN CONDITIONS OF SNOW, DRIZZLE & RIGHT QUARTERING TAILWIND. INTERVIEWS WITH THE PILOTS & INFORMATION ON THE COCKPIT VOICE RECORDER REVEALED THE APPROACH LIGHTS WERE IN SIGHT BEFORE REACHING THE DECISION HEIGHT. THE PILOTS STATED THE AIRPLANE TOUCHED DOWN 'SLIGHTLY LEFT OF CENTERLINE,' THEN THEY 'LOST SIGHT OF THE RUNWAY EDGE LIGHTS.' AT ABOUT THAT TIME, THE AIRPLANE TOUCHED DOWN ON AN UNPLOWED PORTION (SIDE) OF THE PARTIALLY PLOWED RUNWAY, ABOUT 60' LEFT OF THE CENTERLINE. THE LANDING GEAR COLLAPSED & THE AIRPLANE SLID TO A STOP WITH SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGED. THE PILOTS HAD CHECKED NOTAMS & WERE AWARE THAT 130' OF THE 150' WIDE RUNWAY WAS PLOWED, BUT THE NOTAM DID NOT STATE THAT PLOWING WAS NOT CENTERED. ACCORDING TO FAA ADVISORY CIRCULAR AC 150/5200-30A, 'DETAILS' CONCERNING A PARTIALLY PLOWED RUNWAY SHOULD BE REPORTED VIA NOTAM. THE 2' SNOW BANKS AT THE EDGES OF THE RUNWAY WERE SLIGHTLY HIGHER THAN THE RUNWAY EDGE LIGHTS. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N159PC](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N159PC-2002-08-30), registration cancelled 2002-08-30, S/N 768, built 1987 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: BRITISH AEROSPACE BAE 3101 - Registry model: [British Aerospace BAE JETSTREAM 3101](https://openairdocs.org/model/british-aerospace-bae-jetstream-3101) (registry code 1500216) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [AiResearch TPE331 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/airesearch-tpe331-series) (registry code 01514, turbo-prop) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 768 - Airframe hours: 9201 - Engines: GARRETT TPE-331 1000 horsepower turbo prop - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Part 135 - Operator: Usair Express, doing business as Usair Express - Registered owner: First Security Bank Of Utah - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Continuous airworthiness, March 3, 1993, 87 hours before - Departed: CLT, CHARLOTTE, NC - Destination: BKW - Flight plan: IFR - Airport: BKW, Raleigh County, runway 19, 6,750 × 150 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 43; airline transport, flight instructor; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: left; toxicology performed; flight hours: 12,100 total, 1,800 in this make and model, 11,800 as pilot in command, 195 in the last 90 days, 91 in the last 30 days, 2 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Instrument (IMC), Night/dark - Wind: 340° at 9 knots - Lowest ceiling: 100 ft - Temperature: 28 °F, dew point 28 °F - Altimeter: 30.00 inHg - Observed at: BKW, 1 nm away ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 19930317005549A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19930317005549A), Mar 17, 1993: Bag JETSTM3101, Beckley, WV, Substantial damage. Landed on snow ridge on edge of runway. Weather below minima. Runway not cleared full width per NOTAM. From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.