A traffic conflict with a microlight is being considered as a factor in an unstable approach flown by the pilot of an Embraer Phenom 300 that overran the runway at Blackbushe Airport outside London last week, crashing in a fireball and killing the 11,000-hour pilot and three members of Osama Bin Laden’s family.
UK accident investigators say the Saudi-registered jet climbed from pattern altitude to overtake the microlight after receiving a traffic alert, and then descended at more than 3,000 feet per minute toward Runway 25, crossing the threshold at 150 knots. The Phenom was two-thirds the way down the runway before it touched down, still traveling at 134 knots.
The jet overran the runway and hit an earth berm, which sheared off its nose gear, before briefly becoming airborne and crashing into cars in a parking lot.
The Phenom landed with less than 1,500 feet of runway remaining. Investigators say the jet would have required more than 2,000 feet to safely stop.
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