# NTSB LAX94LA111: Britten-Norman BN2A-8 Islander, N55JA, Santa Rosa Isl, CA, January 8, 1994 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: January 8, 1994, 09:45 local (17:45 UTC) - Place: Santa Rosa Isl, CA - Coordinates: 34.230274, -119.070549 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=34.2303&lon=-119.0705&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 10 uninjured - Status: Completed, report November 14, 1994 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 28651 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=LAX94LA111 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/28651/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX94LA111 ## Probable cause A FAILURE OF THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND TO MAINTAIN A PROPER GLIDE PATH TO THE RUNWAY AND HIS MISJUDGEMENT OF THE TOUCHDOWN POINT THAT RESULTED IN AN UNDERSHOOT AND SUBSEQUENT HARD LANDING. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Undershoot, landing - flare/touchdown - proper glidepath - not maintained, pilot in command (cause) - proper touchdown point - misjudged, pilot in command (cause) - Hard landing, landing - flare/touchdown ## Analysis THE AIRPLANE WAS BEING OPERATED AS A PART 135 AIR TAXI FLIGHT TO AN ISLAND. THE PILOT WAS LANDING ON A DIRT AIRSTRIP THAT WAS ABOUT 2,600 FEET LONG AND 30 FEET WIDE. WHILE ON FINAL APPROACH, THE PILOT REPORTED EXPERIENCING A DOWNDRAFT AND THE AIRCRAFT TOUCHED DOWN HARD ABOUT 10 FEET SHORT OF THE APPROACH END OF THE RUNWAY. SUBSEQUENT INSPECTION REVEALED THAT THE WING, TO WHICH THE LANDING GEAR IS ATTACHED, RECEIVED DAMAGE REQUIRING REPLACEMENT OF ABOUT 2 1/2 FEET OF THE REAR SPAR. ## Factual narrative On January 8, 1994, about 0945 hours Pacific standard time, a Britten-Norman BN-2A-8 Islander, N55JA, landed short of a dirt airstrip at Santa Rosa Island, California. The airplane was being operated as a visual flight rules (VFR) sightseeing flight to the Channel Islands National Park under Title 14 CFR Part 135 when the accident occurred. The airplane, operated by Channel Islands Aviation, Camarillo, California, sustained substantial damage. The certificated airline transport pilot and nine passengers were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. The flight departed from the Camarillo airport about 0900 hours. The accident was reported to the National Transportation Safety Board by the U.S. Department of Interior, Office of Aircraft Services, on January 21, 1994. A National Park ranger, who serves as the island tour interpreter, was a passenger on the flight. He reported that the airplane was one of two airplanes that landed for a park tour. The airplane landed hard when it touched down short of the 3,000 foot runway. After the tour, the airplane and passengers returned to Camarillo. On February 3, 1994, a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) operations inspector, Van Nuys Flight Standards District Office, reported that after inspection the operator discovered damage to the inboard trailing edge of the left wing and flap. A 2 1/2- foot section of the rear wing spar was replaced. The pilot reported that he encountered a large downdraft while on final approach to the private airstrip. The airplane landed about 10 feet short of the beginning of the dirt strip. The pilot holds an airline transport pilot certificate with ratings for airplane multiengine land and instrument airplane. Additionally, the pilot has commercial pilot privileges with an airplane single-engine land rating. The most recent first-class medical certificate was issued to the pilot on August 20, 1994, and contained the limitation that the pilot must wear corrective lenses. The pilot did not include any record of his total aeronautical experience in the pilot/operator report that he submitted on this accident. The aeronautical experience listed on page 6 of this report was obtained from a review of the airmen FAA records on file in the Airman and Medical Records Center located in Oklahoma City. According to the FAA, the pilot's total aeronautical experience consists of about 4,589 hours. The pilot reported that he had accrued 6.3 hours as pilot-in-command in the accident airplane. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N55JA](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N55JA), registered now, S/N 295, built 1971 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: BRITTEN-NORMAN BN2A-8 ISLANDER (BN2A-8 ISL) - Registry model: [Britten-Norman BN-2 ISLANDER](https://openairdocs.org/model/britten-norman-bn-2-islander) (registry code 1520202) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-540 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-540-series) (registry code 41532, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 295 - Airframe hours: 9600 - Engines: LYCOMING O-540 260 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Part 135 - Operator: Channel Islands Aviation - Registered owner: Mark Oberman - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Provisional (Special); Standard, Normal - Last inspection: 100 hour, November 10, 1993, 40 hours before - Departed: CMA, CAMARILLO, CA - Flight plan: Company VFR - Airport: Santa Rosa Island, runway 30, 2,600 × 30 ft, dirt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 47; airline transport; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: left; flight hours: 4,589 total, 6 in this make and model ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 300° at 15 knots, gusting 20 - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 61 °F ## 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 19940108003599A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19940108003599A), Jan 8, 1994: Bnorm BN2A8, Santa Rosa, CA, Substantial damage. Landed 10 feet short of dirt island strip. Damaged left wing and flap. Low time in type. 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.