The 2019 Unalaska runway overrun, resulting in one fatality, was caused by a combination of flight crew judgment (landing with a strong tailwind despite adverse conditions), improper wiring of the anti-skid system due to a complex design, and the FAA's approval of the airline to operate at an airport with an inadequate runway safety area.
The NTSB recommended that aviation agencies and manufacturers enhance safety assessments for landing gear systems to prevent cross-wiring errors, and that Saab redesign specific components like the Saab 2000's wheel-speed-transducer harnesses.
Further recommendations included mandating safety management systems for aircraft design, manufacturing, and maintenance organizations, and for the FAA to improve oversight regarding runway safety area compliance and the safety implications of airline organizational changes.
Improper maintenance, poor judgement by the flight crew and the FAA’s decision to approve the airline to operate out of the accident airport have been cited as causal factors in the deadly runway overrun by a Saab SA-2000 in Unalaska, Alaska in 2019.
On Tuesday, the NTSB held a meeting to determine the causal factors of the accident and made recommendations to improve safety.
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Meg Godlewski has been an aviation journalist for more than 24 years and a CFI for more than 20 years. If she is not flying or teaching aviation, she is writing about it. Meg is a founding member of the Pilot Proficiency Center at EAA AirVenture and excels at the application of simulation technology to flatten the learning curve. Follow Meg on Twitter @2Lewski.
