CHI06LA058

NTSB accident investigation · Cessna 560 · Woodruff, WI · January 5, 2006

Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal report
Date
January 5, 2006, 08:00 local (14:00 UTC)
Place
Woodruff, WI
Injuries
7 uninjured
Damage
Substantial damage
Phase of flight
Landing
Aircraft
N391QSCessna 560
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Day
Status
Completed · report March 26, 2007
Report
Approved by Office Director
Parties
NetJets Aviation, Cessna, Federal Aviation Administration
FAA report
20060105000829A
Case key
63068

From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.

On this page

Probable cause

The Captain's failure to maintain adequate airspeed during the landing which resulted in a stall/mush. Factors were the gusty conditions, the snowbank in the safety area next to the runway, and the runway light that the airplane struck.

Sequence of events

NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.

Loss of control - in flightLanding
Weather condition - gustsFactor
Airspeed - not maintainedPilot in commandCause
Stall/mush - encounteredPilot in commandCause
In flight collision with terrain/waterDescent - uncontrolled
Terrain condition - ground
Terrain condition - runway
Terrain condition - snowbankFactor
Object - airport sign/markerFactor

Analysis

The airplane, on a non-scheduled domestic passenger flight, sustained substantial damage when the right wing contacted runway 36 during landing. The airplane subsequently departed the runway and impacted a snow bank. The operator stated, "The briefed REF [airspeed at the 50-foot point with flaps in the landing position and landing gear extended] speed was 101 knots. Due to weather conditions the Captain flew the approach at 110 knots. The crew encountered light rime icing descending through 4,500 feet until the time they broke out visually at approximately 2,600 feet. The crew utilized the aircraft boots 3 times on the approach to ensure the aircraft was free of contamination. The crew descended on the PAPI [precision approach path indicator] for runway 36 after breaking out visually. At approximately 55 feet the Captain brought the power levers to idle as normal. All seemed normal until approximately 20 to 30 feet when the aircraft felt as if it lost lift and the right wing dropped. The Captain added power and it took both hands to level the wings. The aircraft impacted the runway with the right wingtip hitting first. The aircraft then bounced back in the air and turned slightly to the right. The aircraft then once again settled to the surface off the right side of the runway." The airplane impacted a runway light. The Captain stated that the stick shaker came on and that he added engine power during the landing. The first officer stated that the airplane's airspeed dropped to REF -4 to -5 knots when the airplane was about 20 feet above ground level. The recorded wind was 350 degrees at 14 gusting to 21 knots. A caution in the airplane's operating manual stated, "IN ICING CONDITIONS, A SMALL AMOUNT OF RESIDUAL ICE WILL FORM ON UNPROTECTED AREAS. THIS IS NORMAL, BUT CAN CAUSE AN INCREASE IN STALL SPEEDS. WHEN ANY AMOUNT OF RESIDUAL ICE IS VISIBLE, THE STALL SPEEDS IN FIGURE 4-7 OF THE AIRPLANE FLIGHT MANUAL INCREASE BY 5 KNOTS. THE VREF/VAPP SPEEDS, LANDING DISTANCES AND THE MAXIMUM LANDING WEIGHT PERMITTED BY BRAKE ENERGY MUST BE CORRECTED IN ACCORDANCE WITH FIGURE 4-32 OF THE AIRPLANE FLIGHT MANUAL."

Factual narrative

History of flight

On January 5, 2006, about 0800 central standard time, a Cessna 560, N391QS, operated by NetJets Sales, Inc., sustained substantial damage when the right wing contacted runway 36 during a landing at the Lakeland Airport/Noble F. Lee Memorial Field (ARV), near Minocqua-Woodruff, Wisconsin. The airplane subsequently departed the runway and impacted a snow bank. The non-scheduled domestic passenger flight was operating under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 135. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The flight was operating on an activated instrument flight rules flight plan. The pilot, co-pilot, and five passengers were uninjured. The flight originated from the Palwaukee Municipal Airport (PWK), near Wheeling, Illinois about 0723.

The operator's accident report, in part, stated:

N391QS departed KPWK enroute to KARV with 5 passengers on a

part 135 flight. The enroute portion of the flight was without event.

The crew verified the weather and landing numbers enroute. In light

of a notam for the AWOS [automated surface observing system]

wind readout at KARV as being unreliable the crew procured the

latest weather from KRHI [Rhinelander-Oneida County Airport,

Rhinelander, Wisconsin] enroute to validate the winds and that

landing on runway 36 at KARV was suitable. The crew briefed and

flew the localizer approach to runway 36 at KARV. The briefed REF

speed [airspeed at the 50-foot point with flaps in the landing position

and landing gear extended] was 101 knots. Due to weather conditions the

Captain flew the approach at 110 knots. The crew encountered light

rime icing descending through 4,500 feet until the time they broke out

visually at approximately 2,600 feet. The crew utilized the aircraft boots

3 times on the approach to ensure the aircraft was free of contamination.

The crew descended on the PAPI [precision approach path indicator] for

runway 36 after breaking out visually. At approximately 55 feet the

Captain brought the power levers to idle as normal. All seemed normal

until approximately 20 to 30 feet when the aircraft felt as if it lost lift and

the right wing dropped. The Captain added power and took both hands

to level the wings. The aircraft impacted the runway with the right

wingtip hitting first. The aircraft then bounced back in the air and turned

slightly to the right. The aircraft then once again settled to the surface

off the right side of the runway.

In an interview, the Captain stated that the stick shaker came on and that he added engine power during the landing.

The first officer (FO) stated that the airplane's airspeed dropped to REF -4 to -5 knots when the airplane was about 20 feet above ground level.

Damage to aircraft

The operator reported that the airplane's "nose landing gear wheel assembly and nose landing gear strut fork separated from the aircraft. Right side nose landing gear door separated from aircraft. Damage to radome, fuselage structure aft of nose landing gear well, right wing inboard flap panel and attaching structure, right wing upper and lower surfaces, and right wing tip."

Other damage

The operator also reported that the airplane "struck and destroyed a runway light marker light."

Personnel information

Captain:

The captain held an airline transport pilot (ATP) certificate with an airplane multiengine land rating. He was type-rated for the Cessna 500 airplane. His last medical examination was completed on August 8, 2005, and he was issued a first-class medical certificate without limitations. The operator reported the captain as having accumulated a total flight time of 8,452 hours and 1,792 hours in the same make and model airplane. He flew 131 hours during the last 3 months, 36 hours during the previous 30 days, and 2 hours during the prior 24 hours.

First Officer:

The FO held an ATP certificate with an airplane multiengine land rating. He was type-rated for the Cessna 500 airplane. His last medical examination was completed on July 7, 2005, and he was issued a first-class medical certificate without limitations. The operator reported the FO as having a total flight time of 3,200 hours, and 72 hours in the same make and model airplane. He flew 69 hours during the last 3 months, 34 hours during the previous 30 days, and 2 hours during the prior 24 hours.

Aircraft information

N391QS was a twin engine Cessna 560, serial number 560-0429. The airplane was configured with eight seats and had a maximum gross weight of 16,300 pounds. The airplane was powered by two Pratt and Whitney Canada engines rated at 3,045 pounds of thrust each. The last approved inspection program maintenance inspection was conducted on December 3, 2005. The airplane had accumulated a total time of 6,276 hours.

The airplane's flight control was through conventional cable-operated surfaces. Trimming was provided by aileron, elevator, and rudder tabs. The airplane incorporated hydraulically operated speed brakes and trailing edge flaps.

The airplane's operating manual, in part, stated:

Stall warning - stick shaker

Stall warning is achieved by the use of a stick shaker mounted on the

forward side of the pilot's control column. An electric motor with

rotating weights induces a vibration feel to the control column. The

pilot is alerted to impending stall by the vibration of the control

column which occurs approximately 8% to 10% above the actual stall

speed. Stick shaker activation will occur before stall buffet, except in

the clean configuration where they are nearly the same and either

could occur first. The stick shaker is energized by inputs from the

angle-of-attack system. The test switch located on the pilot's switch

panel provides a means of checking the shaker prior to flight.

...

Speed control on final should be precise for optimum landing

performance and this is best accomplished by establishing VREF

airspeed well before crossing the threshold. In gusty wind conditions,

it is recommended that one half the gust factor in excess of 5 knots be

added to VREF.

Approaching within approximately 50 feet of airport elevation, power

should be gradually reduced to counter the acceleration induced by

ground effect. Wind velocity and direction will dictate the rate at which

the throttles are retarded. In very high surface headwind conditions, as

an example, it may be necessary to maintain at or near approach power

until close to touchdown. With a tailwind, a fairly rapid power reduction

may be necessary in the final descent to landing phase for accurate speed

control. In ground effect, where induced drag is reduced, leaving approach

power on will cause the airplane to float to a longer touchdown than

desired. Retarding the throttles gradually in the final descent will normally

result in idle thrust being reached just before touchdown.

...

Caution

In icing conditions, a small amount of residual ice will form

On unprotected areas. This is normal, but can cause an

Increase in stall speeds. When any amount of residual ice

Is visible, the stall speeds in figure 4-7 of the airplane

Flight manual increase by 5 knots. The vref/vapp speeds,

Landing distances and the maximum landing weight permitted

By brake energy must be corrected in accordance with

Figure 4-32 of the airplane flight manual.

Meteorological information

At 0755, the recorded weather at ARV was: Wind 350 degrees at 14 gusting to 21 knots; visibility 10 statute miles; sky condition overcast 1,300 feet above ground level; temperature -3 degrees C; dew point -5 degrees C; altimeter 30.04 inches of mercury.

Aids to navigation

ARV has a localizer approach to runway 36. The final approach fix, identified as DOUGY, is located 6.5 distance measur

Aircraft

Registration
N391QS
Reported as
Cessna 560
Category
Airplane
Serial number
560-0493
Airframe hours
6,276
Engines
Pratt & Whitney Canada JT15D, 3,045 lbs thrust, turbo jetPratt & Whitney Canada JT15D, 3,045 lbs thrust, turbo jet
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Part 135
Registered owner
Netjets Sales Inc.
Airworthiness certificate
Standard, Transport
Last inspection
AAIP · December 1, 2005
Departed
PWK · Chicago/Prospec, IL
Destination
ARV · Woodruff, WI
Flight plan
IFR
Airport
ARV · Lakeland/Noble F. Lee Memorial, runway 36, 5,150 × 100 ft, asphalt

Flight crew · 2

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

Role
Pilot
Age
46
Injuries
None
Certificates
Flight instructor, Airline transport
Airplane ratings
Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
Instrument ratings
Airplane, Helicopter
Medical
Class 1, Without waivers/limitations
Last flight review
October 1, 2005
Seat
Left
Flight hours
8,452 total · 1,792 in this make and model · 6,000 as pilot in command · 131 in the last 90 days · 36 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Role
Co-pilot
Age
40
Injuries
None
Certificate
Airline transport
Airplane ratings
Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
Instrument ratings
Airplane
Medical
Class 1, Without waivers/limitations
Last flight review
July 1, 2005
Seat
Right
Flight hours
3,200 total · 72 in this make and model · 1,700 as pilot in command · 69 in the last 90 days · 34 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Day
Wind
350° at 14 knots, gusting 21
Visibility
10 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
1,300 ft overcast
Temperature
27 °F, dew point 23 °F
Altimeter
30.04 inHg
Observed at
ARV

FAA reports on this event · 1

The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.