Cessna 208B N879MA accident near Lahaina, Hawaii

Probable cause

The pilots’ failure to maintain a proper approach speed and their decision to continue the approach for landing, which resulted in the airplane landing long and a subsequent runway overrun.

NTSB analysis

The captain reported that, due to the wind conditions at the destination airport, he and the first officer, who was the pilot flying, decided to fly the approach for landing at 95 knots indicated airspeed (KIAS) and use less than full flaps. The captain stated, and onboard data confirmed, that the airplane crossed the threshold of the 3,000 ft-long-runway at 115 KIAS. The airplane touched down about 2,000 ft down the runway at about 96 knots KIAS. Despite the pilots’ application of reverse thrust and full braking, the airplane continued off the end of the runway, where it impacted a fence and trees and came to rest in a ditch, resulting in substantial damage. The pilots and eight passengers egressed the airplane with no injuries.

A complete examination of the thrust reverse system was not performed, as the airplane had been disassembled before the examination could take place. However, given the airplane’s touchdown point, there was insufficient runway remaining on which to stop the airplane even if the pilots had utilized a short field landing technique, which required an approach speed of 78 KIAS and full landing flaps. The pilots’ failure to maintain the predetermined approach speed and their decision to continue the approach despite the airplane’s excessive speed resulted in the airplane landing long and a subsequent runway overrun.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for ANC19LA046 for the full record.