N590AK Citation 560XL off runway AK - No injuries.

Aviation Charter, Fractional, and Private
1

NTSB Identification: ANC08LA059
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Wednesday, April 30, 2008 in Port Heiden, AK
Aircraft: Cessna 560XL, registration: N590AK
Injuries: 6 Uninjured.

This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. Any errors in this report will be corrected when the final report has been completed.

On April 30, 2008, about 0945 Alaska daylight time, a Cessna Citation 560XL airplane, N590AK, sustained substantial damage while landing at the Port Heiden Airport, Port Heiden, Alaska. The airplane was being operated by AT&T Alascom, Anchorage, Alaska, as an instrument flight rules (IFR) corporate flight under Title 14, CFR Part 91, when the accident occurred. Of the six people aboard, there were no injuries to the two airline transport certificated pilots, or the four passengers. The flight originated at the Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport, Anchorage, Alaska, about 0850, and an instrument flight plan had been filed.

During a telephone conversation with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator-in-charge (IIC) on April 30, the captain noted that the purpose of the flight was to transport a crew of telecommunications technicians to Port Heiden. He stated that his approach to runway 23 required a correction for a right crosswind, and that the initial touchdown on the 5,000-foot long by 100-foot wide gravel runway was uneventful. He said that he continued to apply a small amount of left rudder pedal input to correct for the crosswind as the nose wheel touched down. As soon as the nose wheel touched the runway, the airplane veered sharply to the left, and went off the left side of the runway. The left main landing gear collapsed, and the left wing struck the runway. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing and fuselage.

The captain reported that there were no preaccident mechanical anomalies with the airplane.

At 0936, an automated weather observing system (AWOS) at Port Heiden was reporting, in part: Wind, 320 degrees at 12 knots; visibility, 10 statute miles; clouds and sky condition, 600 feet few; temperature, 30degrees F; dew point, 28 degrees F; altimeter, 29.94 inHg.

2

This will be interesting. AFAIK Cessna doesn’t have any US operators using the gravel mod suppliment.

If that’s the case someones in big trouble with their insurance company.

Of course if I’m wrong…egg on my face.

3

This will be interesting. AFAIK Cessna doesn’t have any US operators using the gravel mod suppliment.

If that’s the case someones in big trouble with their insurance company.

Of course if I’m wrong…egg on my face.

4

I know they have approved gravel kits for Citations up through the 560. I can’t find anything about approval on the 560XL.

5

I flew in Alaska for 6 years. I’ve lived all over the state, from Ketchikan to Fairbanks the Small Village of Gelena.
I call tell you there are FAR’s and there are Alaksa FAR’s. Each operator operates under the 121 or 135 FAR’s but has their local POI approve mods and operations you’ll never see here in the states. That also goes for Insurance company’s. It’s not that everyone up there is a cowboy it’s that it’s the only way aviation can work up there. Each Pilot I met while working up in Alaska was professional and safe. And understand more about flying then most 20 year captains in the states will ever know.
This was an unfortunate accident.

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I know the chief pilot there and they did have a gravel kit installed when they received the aircraft. It is one of two in the world with the gravel kit.