# NTSB OPS24LA045: Cessna 525, N70FC, Brunswick, GA, September 29, 2024 - Type: NTSB incident investigation - Classification: Incident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report - Date: September 29, 2024, 19:43 local (23:43 UTC) - Place: Brunswick, GA - Coordinates: 31.26, -81.47 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=31.2600&lon=-81.4700&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Landing: Wrong surface or wrong airport](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/284) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 4 uninjured - Status: Completed - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish - NTSB office: Operational Factors Division - Parties: FAA - NTSB case key (mKey): 195365 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=OPS24LA045 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/195365/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/OPS24LA045 ## Probable cause The flight crew’s failure to properly identify the airport and runway of intended landing, and the lack of verification of their airplane’s position using all available navigation information. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Info processing/decision: identification/recognition](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041510): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Flight crew (probable cause) - [Use of equip/info: use of equip/system](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063015): Personnel issues › Task performance · Flight crew (probable cause) ## Analysis On September 29, 2024, about 1943 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 525B Citation CJ3, N70FC was involved in a wrong airport landing at the Brunswick Golden Isles Airport (BQK), Brunswick, Georgia. There were no injuries reported to the passengers or crew onboard. The airplane was operated under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 135 on demand passenger flight from Dallas Love Field Airport (DAL), Dallas, Texas to St. Simons Island Airport (SSI), St. Simons Island, Georgia. According to the crew, the day prior to and the day of the incident, the flight had experienced many delays. They were originally scheduled to land at SSI at dusk, but due to delays in DAL they would land at night. Automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast (ADS-B) data showed the flight departed DAL at 1535 central daylight time and landed on runway 25 at BQK 1943 eastern daylight time. After landing at BQK the crew continued taxi to runway 7 and departed to SSI. The captain (CA) was the pilot flying, and the first officer (FO) was the pilot monitoring. The FO stated he had flown into SSI many times and was aware of the close proximity of BQK. The CA stated he was not aware there was another airport nearby. SSI and BQK were 8.5 miles apart. Hurricane Helene had impacted this area of Georgia about 48 hours before, leaving the area dark, without power, Wi-Fi, or cell service. Both airports were operating on generator power. The FO had a residence in the area which had sustained hurricane damage and had requested to end his rotation in SSI. Another pilot would replace him to continue the trip rotation. The flight was in contact with air traffic control (ATC) and about 10 miles prior to landing, the crew reported the airport in sight and requested to cancel their instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan to proceed visually to the airport. The IFR flight plan was canceled, ATC services were terminated, and the pilots then communicated their intentions on SSI’s common traffic advisory frequency (CTAF). The FO stated they had the RNAV 22 approach programmed in the flight management system (FMS), but did not verify their position using automation or the map display because they did not continue flying the RNAV approach. They proceeded visually entering the traffic pattern on an extended right base leg. According to the CA, he asked the FO to program a visual approach into the FMS, which to his recollection the FO did. The CA stated he had the horizontal situation indicator (HSI) displayed on the flight display and said the airplane appeared close to the inbound course for runway 22 at SSI. According to the FO, he made the initial radio call on CTAF for SSI announcing the airplane would enter an extended right base leg entry into the traffic pattern. During this radio transmission he saw the sequenced flashing runway lights turn on at the airport, which they believed to be SSI. “Unfortunately after the fact it came to our understanding another aircrafthad transmitted on the frequency for BQK not SSI activating the rabbit lights. This led to the first misidentification of the landing runway.” After the airplane landed, he recognized a building that was located on BQK, and knew they landed at the wrong airport. He saw another airplane taxiing for departure and realized that airplane had most likely turned on the airport lights for BQK because he was communicating on the wrong CTAF for SSI. Figure 1. ADS-b Data (Source: FAA) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Landing: Wrong surface or wrong airport](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/284) (defining event) ## Aircraft - Registration: [N70FC](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N70FC), registered now, S/N 525B-0339, built 2010 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CESSNA 525 (B) - Registry model: [Cessna 525B](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-525b) (registry code 2076616) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Williams FJ44-3A](https://openairdocs.org/engine/williams-fj44-3a) (registry code 66006, turbo-fan) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 525B-0339 - Year built: 2010 - Airframe hours: 4398.6 - Engines: Williams FJ44-3A 4421 hp turbo fan; Williams FJ44-3A 4421 hp turbo fan - Damage: No damage - Flight: Part 135 - Operator: Mountain Aviation LLC, doing business as Wheels Up - Registered owner: Lucky Stars LLC - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Commuter - Last inspection: Continuous airworthiness, September 20, 2024 - Departed: KDAL, Dallas, TX - Destination: KSSI, Brunswick, GA - Flight plan: IFR - Airport: KBQK, Brunswick Golden Isles Airport, runway 25, 8,001 × 150 ft, asphalt - Equipment: Angle of attack indicator, ADS-B, Stall warning system, Electronic primary flight display, Electronic multifunction display, Electronic flight bag or handheld device, Auto-pilot ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 70; injuries: none; airline transport; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, with waivers/limitations; last flight review September 6, 2024; seat: left; restraint: 5-point; flight hours: 13,712 total, 2,295 in this make and model - Co-pilot; age 54; injuries: none; airline transport; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, without waivers/limitations; last flight review September 1, 2024; seat: right; restraint: 5-point; flight hours: 17,142 total, 1,356 in this make and model ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Not reported - Wind: 150° at 8 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Temperature: 82 °F, dew point 77 °F - Altimeter: 29.85 inHg - Observed at: KSSI, 8 nm away - METAR: METAR KSSI 292315Z AUTO 15008KT 10SM CLR 28/25 A2985 RMK AO2= From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date; 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.