NTSB -- NTSB DETERMINES THE CAPTAIN'S DECISION TO ATTEMPT A GO- AROUND LATE IN THE LANDING ROLL WITH INSUFFICIENT RUNWAY REMAINING CAUSED THE 2008 ACCIDENT IN OWATONNA

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NTSB PRESS RELEASE

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National Transportation Safety Board

Washington, DC 20594

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 15, 2011

SB-11- 08

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NTSB DETERMINES THE CAPTAIN'S DECISION TO ATTEMPT A GO-

AROUND LATE IN THE LANDING ROLL WITH INSUFFICIENT RUNWAY

REMAINING CAUSED THE 2008 ACCIDENT IN OWATONNA

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Washington, DC - The National Transportation Safety Board

determined today that the probable cause of the 2008 plane

crash at Owatonna Degner Regional Airport, Owatonna,

Minnesota, was the captain's decision to attempt a go-around

late in the landing roll with insufficient runway remaining.

Contributing to the accident were the pilots' poor crew

coordination and lack of cockpit discipline; fatigue, which

likely impaired both pilots' performance; and the failure of

the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to require crew

resource management training and standard operating

procedures for Part 135 operators.

"This accident serves as a reminder that aviation is an

unforgiving environment; no detail is too small to be

overlooked - not the winds, or the communication between

crew members, or even how much sleep they get," said NTSB

Chairman Deborah A.P. Hersman. "The small things do matter

and in this case they accumulated to result in tragedy."

On July 31, 2008, East Coast Jets flight 81, a Hawker

Beechcraft Corporation 125-800A, crashed while attempting a

go-around after touchdown and during the landing rollout at

Owatonna Degner Regional Airport. The flight was a

nonscheduled passenger flight. An instrument flight rules

flight plan had been filed and activated; however, it was

cancelled before the landing. Visual meteorological

conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The two

pilots and six passengers were killed.

The safety issues addressed in this investigations are: the

flight crew actions; pilot fatigue and sleep disorders; the

lack of Part 135 Standard Operating Procedures, including

crew resource management training and check list usage; go-

around guidance for turbine-powered aircraft; Part 135

preflight weather briefings; inadequate arrival landing

distance assessment guidance and requirements; Part 135 on-

demand, pilot-in command line checks; and cockpit image

recording systems.

As a result of this accident investigation, the NTSB issued

recommendations to the FAA regarding training, Standard

Operating Procedures, and sleep disorders.

A synopsis of the accident investigation report, including

the findings, probable cause, and safety recommendations,

can be found on the Board Meetings page of the NTSB's

website, http://www.ntsb.gov/events/Boardmeeting.htm. The

complete report will be available on the website in several

weeks.

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NTSB Media Contact: Terry N. Williams (williat@xxxxxxxx)

(202)314-6100

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