Colorado Aviation Accidents & Incidents

HISTORY OF FLIGHT

On March 23, 2007, approximately 2105 mountain daylight time, a Dassault Aviation Mystere Falcon 900C business jet, N129KJ, sustained substantial damage during a runway overrun while landing at Garfield County Regional Airport (RIL), Rifle, Colorado. The certificated airline transport pilot, co-pilot, and flight attendant were not injured. The airplane was operated by XOJET, Inc., McClellan, California, and registered to Ohana Aircraft Ltd. LLC., Redwood City, California. Night visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and an instrument flight rules flight plan was filed for the Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91 positioning flight. The flight departed Scottsdale, Arizona, and was destined for RIL.

According to statements submitted by the pilot and co-pilot, prior to departure, the airplane was fueled with approximately 17,500 pounds (lbs) of fuel, which allowed a landing weight at RIL of greater than 2,000 lbs. under maximum gross landing weight. The crew stated that they had operated in and out of RIL many times in the past several days, and the pilot "was very comfortable with the weather [and] performance numbers planned." The pilot remembered observing a weather report that reported light rain at RIL; however, the report was not current after the flight departed Scottsdale. The pilot "did not use wet runway performance numbers...[and] did note the 135 landing distance requirements as an aid for safety margin; approximately 6,600 feet."

The crew reported the en route portion of the flight was uneventful. As the airplane approached RIL, the crew checked the automated surface observing system (ASOS) report which reported the sky overcast at 4,000 feet and no rain. During the downwind leg to runway 26, the crew could see the runway. Prior to the final approach fix for the instrument landing system (ILS) approach to runway 26 and approximately 8 miles from the airport, the crew had the runway in sight. The crew communicated their intentions on the RIL common traffic advisory frequency (CTAF). The pilot flew the airplane on the glideslope approximately Vref (Final Approach Speed) 128 knots plus 10-15 knots, then below 1,000 feet, Vref plus 10 knots. The pilot stated that the airplane touched down approximately 1,500 feet from the approach end of runway 26. The co-pilot reported the airbrake was in the #2 position and they had "good anti-skid indication" after touchdown. The pilot "began braking, deployed the thrust reverser, [and] continued to increase brake pressure as it didn't seem like a normal deceleration rate. [Co-pilot] said, 'Get on it' and [the pilot] replied, 'I am' as I had max brakes applied and full reverse." With approximately 2,500 feet of runway remaining, the airplane continued to not decelerate normally, and the pilot knew they did not have enough runway to execute a go-around. With approximately 1,000 feet of runway remaining, the pilot pulled the parking brake to the sec