PenAir Flight 3296

PenAir Flight 3296

The Saab 2000 after leaving the runway of Unalaska Airport
Accident
Date	October 17, 2019
Summary	Runway excursion caused by maintenance error, design flaw, and pilot error
Site	Unalaska Airport, Amaknak Island, Alaska
Aircraft
Aircraft type	Saab 2000
Operator	PenAir d/b/a Alaska Airlines
Registration	N686PA
Flight origin	Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport
Destination	Unalaska Airport
Occupants	42
Passengers	39
Crew	3
Fatalities	1
Injuries	12
Survivors	41

PenAir Flight 3296 was a domestic scheduled flight from Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport in Anchorage, Alaska to Unalaska Airport on Amaknak Island in the Aleutian Chain of Alaska. On October 17, 2019, the Saab 2000 operating the flight overran the runway after landing at its destination airport. Of the 42 passengers and crew on board, one passenger was fatally injured when a propeller blade penetrated the fuselage, one was seriously injured and ten suffered minor injuries.^[1] The 24-year-old aircraft, a Saab 2000, was substantially damaged during the accident.^[2]

Accident[]

The damaged interior on the plane

On the day of the accident, the aircraft departed from Anchorage at 15:15 AST and was due to land at Unalaska two hours and 15 minutes later. While descending toward Unalaska, the crew received clearance for a RNAV approach to Runway 13, a 4,501-foot-long (1,372 m) runway. As the aircraft approached the airport, the wind changed from 210 degrees at 8 kn (4.1 m/s) to 180 degrees at 7 kn (3.6 m/s), but was reported as 270 degrees at 10 kn (5.1 m/s). The aircraft became unstable and a go-around was executed. The flight returned for a visual approach onto Runway 13. The wind speed increased and the controller reported that winds were 300 degrees at 24 kn (12 m/s).

The crew decided to continue with the landing and touched down at 17:40. The aircraft landed 1,001 feet (305 m) down the runway with reverse thrust and wheel-braking inputs by the captain. When the aircraft reached 80 kn (150 km/h), maximum braking was applied. As an overrun was imminent, the pilots steered the aircraft right to avoid going into the water past the runway end. Attempts to stop on the paved runway surface failed, and the aircraft crossed a section of grass and then broke through a chain perimeter fence and crossed a ditch. The aircraft struck a large rock, crossed a public roadway and finally came to a stop on the shore of a small lake. The port wing struck a 4–5-foot (1.2–1.5-meter) signal post. This caused the port-side (left) propeller to shatter, sending debris and large pieces of the propeller blade into the fuselage. One of the blades was found inside the cabin. Two passengers were critically injured and another 10 had to receive medical care. One of the critically injured passengers died a day later. ^{[2] [1]}

Investigation[]

On the day of the accident, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) launched an investigation.^[3] Two years later, on November 2, 2021, the final report was released, which stated that the accident had been caused by "the landing gear manufacturer's incorrect wiring of the wheel speed transducer harnesses on the left main landing gear during overhaul", Saab's design of wire harnesses, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) authorizing Unalaska Airport to operate the Saab 2000 without taking the runway safety area into consideration first, and the flight crew's decision to land in a tailwind that exceeded Saab's limits (which the NTSB labeled as inappropriate) were also factors in the accident.^[4][5]

See also[]

• Swiss International Air Lines Flight 850
• List of accidents and incidents involving commercial aircraft
• 2019 in aviation

References[]

External links[]

• NTSB investigation docket