Executive summary
On Saturday 1 July 2000 at 1457, Great Barrier Airlines PA 32 aeroplane ZK-DSQ was on a charter flight to Great Mercury Island with 4 passengers when it overran the uphill grass runway on landing. No injury occurred, but the aircraft was substantially damaged.
The overrun resulted from excessive tailwind, and the pilot’s decision to land was probably based on an incorrect assessment of the tailwind component on the runway.
Safety issues identified include:
• the definition of the tailwind limitation in the airline’s operations manual
• the performance data in aircraft flight manuals
• the calibration of the automatic weather station on Great Mercury Island.
Safety recommendations were made to address these issues.
Related Recommendations
Gets the calibration of the automatic weather station on Great Mercury Island checked, and ensures that it reports relative to magnetic north.
Extends the performance data in aircraft flight manuals to match the operations undertaken by those aircraft.
Amends the airline’s operations manual limit for landing at Great Mercury Island to simple wind speed and direction rather than a tailwind component.