Houston-William P. Hobby

The aircraft overran the departure end of the runway while landing on Runway 33. The 5,200-hour pilot reported that while on the base leg, the annunciator light for the "low pitch stop" propeller system on the right side illuminated. The pilot pulled the circuit breaker and left it out, as per the pilot operating handbook (POH). During the landing-roll, the pilot encountered a severe yaw to the right. The pilot added power to the right engine and realigned the airplane down the centerline. He then applied brakes and reverse thrust. The pilot stated that " it felt like I had no braking action and then felt the right side grab and brake, but not the left." The combination of right side braking and the right low pitch system malfunction caused considerable adverse yaw, jerking the plane to the right. The pilot applied power again and straightened the nose of the airplane. He then made the decision to go around, but at this point did not have adequate airspeed or runway length to safely accomplish a go around. He applied the brakes again, and the airplane immediately yawed to the right again, at which time the pilot was unable to compensate before the airplane caught the edge of the runway. The airplane went into the grass, where the pilot attempted to control the direction of the airplane and bring it to a complete stop. Examination of the hydraulic brake hoses from the left and right main landing gears revealed that both hoses appeared to have been damaged with a hand tool.

After a visual approach to the 3,975 foot long by 50-foot wide runway, the turbojet airplane touched down about 2,100 feet beyond the landing threshold, and overran the departure end of the runway. The 5,600 hour pilot in command (PIC) reported that the approach speed and descent rate were "normal," and the aircraft was on short final over the trees at the "desired speed." Once the trees were clear, the aircraft descended to the runway at idle power. During the descent the PIC noticed a 16-knot increase in speed above reference. The PIC elected to continue "because the aircraft was close to the runway" and the PIC thought he had "extra landing distance to work with beyond what was required." The PIC reported that the aircraft "floated beyond the desired touchdown point," and "at this point [the pilots were] committed to stopping the aircraft." Passing the last third of the runway, the aircraft turned to the right "without" input from the pilots, overran the departure end, and collided with trees. Once the aircraft left the runway, the PIC stowed the thrust reversers and attempted to shut down the engines. Due to the "violent ride," the PIC managed to shut down one engine. A post-impact fire consumed the aircraft after the crew assisted to evacuate the occupants. No mechanical or maintenance anomalies were discovered with the aircraft. According to the flight manual, based on 29.74 inches HG, 1,808 PA, 30 degrees Celsius, zero wind, and an aircraft landing weight of 14, 500 lbs, the calculated total stopping distance (air and ground distance) at reference speed (Vref), was estimated at 2,955 feet. According to the flight manual, the "total distance" is based on full flaps, speed brakes after touchdown, Vref at 50 feet over the runway threshold, idle thrust when crossing the threshold, and no thrust reverse.

The pilot had experienced engine problems during a flight and requested maintenance assistance from the local maintenance repair station. Before the maintenance personnel signed off and completed the repairs, the pilot refueled the airplane, and attempted an instrument flight back to the originating airport. While enroute, the pilot reported a low fuel situation, and deviated to a closer airport. During the approach, the airplane lost engine power on both engines, collided with trees, and subsequently the ground, about a half of a mile short of the intended runway. There was no fuel found in the fuel system at the accident site. No mechanical problems were discovered with the airplane during the post-accident examination. This accident was the second time the pilot had exhausted the fuel supply in this airplane.

During the landing roll, the nose gear settled onto the runway, and the aircraft veered hard to the right. Application of the left brake had no effect. The airplane skidded, exited the runway, struck a runway marker, and collapsed the nose landing gear. The steering actuator had failed, the hydraulic fluid was lost from the steering actuator, and the fuselage received structural damage. The steering actuator assembly, p/n 1501-4, had accumulated 5,938.0 hours since new and had not been repaired or overhauled. Examination of the nose gear steering actuator cylinder by the metallurgist revealed that the cylinder fracture was the result of fatigue cracking initiated by an abrupt machining transition from the 45 degree thread ring chamfer to the straight wall of the cylinder. The engineering drawings appear to depict the radius at the fatigue origin as a continuation of the 0.03 inch to 0.06 inch radius adjacent to the fracture. However, the drawing is not clear on the specific intent of the transition between the nearby radius and the internal threads for the nut.

The airplane was on a positioning flight and had two passengers along for the ride. The airplane was on base leg when the left engine sputtered. The pilot turned on the secondary boost pump and the engine operated normally until both engines flamed out. During the forced landing in a residential area, the airplane hit a powerline, trees, a house, a fireplug, a tree and a van, then another house. There was no smell of fuel in the entire area, and no usable fuel in the fuel system. All three occupants were seriously injured.

During landing, upon nose wheel contact with the runway, directional control was lost and the aircraft exited the runway hard surface and crossed a ditch collapsing the nose gear. The crew stated that full left rudder and differential braking would not stop the right drift, and that the aircraft was in grass uncontrollable by the time the steering tiller was reached. The nose wheel steering system was extensively damaged by the impact sequence when the nose wheel well aft bulkhead was forced into the steering assembly. The pilot stated that if he had been 'spring loaded to the tiller' that he could have possibly kept the aircraft off the grass.

Before takeoff, a pilot of XA-KUT was briefed that the Houston Hobby (HOU) weather was IFR with '. . . Indefinite ceiling zero sky obscured visibility's 1/16 of a mile and fog . . .' He was also advised IFR conditions were forecast until 0900 cst, gradually improving to marginal VFR by 1100 cst with 1,000 feet broken, 5 miles visibility and fog. The flight took off at 0900 cst. At HOU, arrival was delayed due to weather. The crew requested an ILS approach, with intentions of diverting if a missed approach was made. The RVR was variable. After being cleared for an ILS runway 04 approach, the pilot was advised the RVR had dropped to 1,400 feet. After changing to tower frequency, the flight was cleared to land and was told again the RVR was 1,400 feet. When the aircraft was on final approach, the pilots were advised of a low altitude alert. However, the aircraft continued below the decision height (dh), hit a 70 feet power line (approximately 6,500 feet short of the runway) and crashed. No preimpact malfunction of the aircraft or its systems was found. The ILS was flight checked, but only a minor discrepancy (concerning the outer marker width) was noted. The dh was 200 feet agl, minimum RVR for the approach was 2,400 feet. The copilot was killed and seven other occupants were injured, three seriously.

The Grumman American AA-5A, N9844U, had just landed. While taxing, the aircrew stopped short of runway 13R as Beechcraft. Hawker BH-125, N125E, was taking off. The rated student in N125E, who was on a training flight, was at the controls and began the takeoff. The power-up and takeoff roll were normal. Rotation was described as normal and the left throttle was retarded to idle at 110 knots, as pre-briefed, to simulate an engine failure. The instructor pilot (IP) stated that the lift off appeared normal and directional control was good up to an alt of 10 to 20 feet. The left wing then started to drop and the student applied right aileron, but did not stop the roll. The IP began advancing the left throttle, but did not get on the flight controls. The left wing hit the runway and the aircraft veered left and settled to the ground. At impact, both main gear mounts failed, a fuel tank ruptured and a fire started. N125E then slid into N9844U and both aircraft burned. BH-125 flight man recommends IP follow thru, max bank 5° and cautions negative wxvaning in crosswind. BH-125 rudder bias engaged. AA-5A crew thrown out, seatbelts unlatched.

After landing on runway 31L, the aircrew of N100VV requested clearance to turn off to the right at midfield onto runway 22. The request was approved and the aircrew was instructed to use caution for a Cherokee proceeding from the opposite direction. The pilot of N100VV stated that after he turned right onto runway 04/22 and was clear of the Cherokee, he attempted to contact the tower to advise of his intentions. However, the frequency was too busy, so he switched to the ground frequency and transmitted that he was 'off 31L, going to Atlantic.' This transmission ended just as N100VV was entering the intersection of runway 22 and 31R. Just prior to that, N222WL had been cleared for takeoff on runway 31R and had begun its takeoff roll. N222WL was at approximately 70 knots when its aircrew saw N100VV starting to cross the active runway. The pilot of N222WL attempted to takeoff and avoid a collision, but was unable to clear N100VV. N222WL crashed and slid to a stop approximately 400 feet beyond the impact point with N100VV, then burned. All three occupants escaped uninjured.

The aircraft was the second aircraft of a flight of two. The lead aircraft had received radio clearance for takeoff. The lead aircraft was to proceed to a visual checkpoint northwest of the airport and wait for this aircraft to join up. Witnesses observed the aircraft depart runway 17 and remain at low altitude. A left turn was completed with the aircraft passing over the witnesses at low altitude. They saw the pilot looking from side to side just prior to the aircraft colliding with a radio tower/antenna. The aircraft crashed and the pilot, sole on board was killed.