Statesville Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Statesville, North Carolina 28625
Wednesday, March 3, 1999 13:30 EST

On the second localizer approach to runway 10 (5,004 feet long and 100 feet wide), the airplane touched down about 1,000 feet from the approach end. Once in the grass, the airplane slid sideways to the right, then regained a more positive straight ahead tracking, encountered a 3 to 4 foot embankment and became airborne again for a very short period of time until airspeed dropped off. The aircraft traveled horizontally for about 70 feet then vertically for 30 feet. The aircraft hit the ground, bounced and slid into the airport security fence. At 1815Z [1315], the pilot checked the weather again. He said, '...the ceiling was now 1,200 broken, 5 miles with winds out of the Southeast at 10 knots and light rain. During this time we were in and out of rain showers and moderate turbulence.' He said that during the approach, '...there was a strong wind from the west,' which gave him a higher ground speed, and he '...reached the MDA (minimum descent altitude) over the beginning of the runway.' He started a missed approach and requested vectors for another approach. The pilot said, '...when I was established on the approach, I got down to the MDA this time about 2.5 miles from the runway and saw the runway about 1 mile. We descended to the runway and touched down at the 1,000 feet marker, so I knew that I had 4,000 feet of runway remaining. The first 1,500 feet everything looked normal and I smoothly applied the brakes and I realized that the aircraft was acting like it was on ice and I was hydroplaning. I started pumping the brakes which seem to not make any difference, then I saw there was a big obstruction at the end of the runway (localizer antenna), and decided to go right of the obstruction. On the grass I had a hard time to keep the aircraft straight and to keep it going in the direction I wanted...we hit something and fell down 25 feet and came to a full stop....' During the post accident inspection of the aircraft evidence of hydroplaning was found on both main tires.' The reported weather at 1815Z (1315), the report the pilot had received prior to his first approach, was winds 200 degrees at 6 knots, the reported visibility was 3 sm. The reported winds at 1835Z (1335), about the time of the second approach and the accident were from 310 degrees, at 15 knots, with gusts to 31 knots. The reported visibility was 1 1/2 miles.

the pilot's failure to attain the proper touchdown point on the runway. Factors in this accident were excessive approach speed, rain, and a wet runway.