Cessna 500 N125DS accident near Zephyrhills, Florida

Probable cause

The pilots' inadequate in-flight planning and improper selection of runway 36 for landing, which resulted in a significant quartering tailwind during the landing, exceedance of the airplane's braking capability, and a subsequent runway overrun.

NTSB analysis

The two flight crewmembers reported that, after landing on runway 36, the pilot, who was the pilot flying, applied the brakes normally; however, the airplane did not decelerate as expected. The pilot applied the brakes a second time, and the right main landing gear tire subsequently failed. The airplane departed the end of runway 36 and came to rest in an area of unfinished gravel, which resulted in structural damage to the airframe.

Examination of the 4,954-feet-long runway revealed that the airplane touched down about 1,400 feet from the approach end. Skid marks were visible for about 2,982 feet, and the tire failure occurred about 3,153 feet into the landing. Examinations revealed that the right main landing gear tire had a flat spot with a 4-inch diameter hole consistent with a locked brake. The airplane was equipped with an optional antiskid wheel braking system; however, it was disabled in 2004.

The pilots reported that they decided to land on runway 36 based on the wind at flight level 180 and that they did not check the surface wind at the airport. The surface wind at the airport at the time of the accident was from 158 degrees at 15 knots gusting to 25 knots. Thus, the airplane landed with a significant quartering tailwind, which resulted in it touching down at a location and speed at which the pilots were unable to stop the airplane on the runway using normal braking.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for ERA14LA159 for the full record.