PenAir Flight 3296


PenAir Flight 3296 was a domestic scheduled flight from Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport, in Anchorage, Alaska, to Unalaska Airport, on Amaknak Island off the coast of Alaska. On October 17, 2019, the Saab 2000 operating the flight overshot the runway after landing at its destination airport. One passenger suffered fatal injuries due to a propeller blade penetrating the fuselage. Of the other 41 passengers and crew on board, two were seriously injured and ten suffered minor injuries. The 24-year-old aircraft, a SAAB 2000, was substantially damaged during the accident.

Accident

On the day of the accident the aircraft had departed from Anchorage at 15:15 AST and was due to land at Unalaska 2 hours and 15 minutes later. While the flight was descending towards Unalaska they were cleared for the RNAV approach into runway 13, a runway. But as the aircraft became closer to the airport, the wind changed from 210 degrees at 8 knots to 180 degrees at 7 knots. During the approach though, the winds were reported 270 degrees at 10 knots. Due to the aircraft being unstabilised during the approach, a go-around was executed, leading to the flight returning for another, this time, visual approach into runway 13. But during this, the wind speed increased and the controller reported that winds were 300 degrees at 24 knots.
The crew decided to continue with the landing and touched down at 17:40. The aircraft landed down the runway and reverse thrust and wheel braking was initiated by the captain. When the aircraft reached 80 knots, 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, broke through a chain perimeter fence, crossed a ditch, hit a large rock and crossed a public roadway, finally coming to a stop on the shore of a small lake. The port wing struck a 4 to 5 foot signal post. This caused the propeller to shatter, sending debris into the fuselage. One of the blades was found inside of the cabin. 3 passengers were critically injured and another 10 had to receive medical care. 1 of the critically injured passengers died a day later.

Investigation

On the day of the accident, the National Transportation Safety Board, launched an investigation which as of 2020 is still ongoing.

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