Relato de um acidente

 

N14QB Honda Jet HA-420 Houston Texas 17 FEB 2023

6 POB - No Injuries

Pilot Flight Time: 1134 hours (Total, all aircraft), 287 hours (Total, this make and model)

On February 17, 2023, at 1116 central standard time, a Honda Aircraft HA-420 airplane, N14QB, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident at William P. Hobby Airport (HOU), Houston, Texas. The pilot and five passengers were not injured.

The flight departed Miami Executive Airport (TMB) at 0905 eastern standard time. Upon arrival into the Houston area, the pilot was provided radar vectors for an instrument landing system (ILS) approach to runway 4. The pilot was initially cleared to land; however, the tower controller instructed to the pilot to execute a go around due to another airplane on the runway. Following radar vectors for a second ILS approach to runway 4, the pilot was cleared to land and provided the current wind of 340° at 15 kts. About 2 minutes later, the tower controller issued the current wind information of 330° at 15 kts, gusting to 25 kts, to a departing airplane. The accident airplane was on a 3-mile final at that time.

The pilot was landing at the destination airport with a gusting crosswind. Upon touchdown, he established the aileron controls for the crosswind and applied the brakes; however, no braking action was observed. The airplane subsequently drifted left and departed the runway pavement. It came to rest upright in the grass infield area adjacent to the runway. The outboard portion of the right wing separated which resulted in substantial damage.

Data indicated that the airplane was 14 knots or more above the published landing reference speed when it crossed the runway threshold, and it touched down about 2,000 ft from the threshold. The left and right weight-on-wheels (WOW) parameters transitioned from air to ground consistent with initial touchdown; however, the left WOW parameter transitioned back to air about 2 seconds later. The right WOW parameter remained on ground until the airplane departed the runway pavement.

A detailed review of the Central Maintenance Function (CMF) data files did not reveal any record of airplane system anomalies from the time the airplane lifted off until it touched down. Multiple system anomalies were recorded after the runway excursion consistent with airframe damage sustained during the accident sequence.

The brake system touchdown protection is designed to prevent brake application until wheel spin-up occurs to avoid the possibility of inadvertently landing with a locked wheel due to brake application. After weight-on-wheels has been true for three seconds, power braking is enabled. It is likely that the lack of positive weight-on-wheel parameters inhibited brake application due to the touchdown protection function and resulted in the pilot not observing any braking action.

The excess airspeed, extended touchdown, and transient weight-on-wheels parameters were consistent with the airplane floating during the landing flare and with the application of aileron controls for the crosswind conditions. The airplane was not equipped with wing-mounted speed brakes which would have assisted in maintaining weight-on-wheels during the initial portion of the landing.

The most recent wind report, transmitted by the tower controller when the airplane was on a 3 mile final, presented a 70° crosswind at 15 knots, gusting to 25 knots. The corresponding crosswind gust component was about 24 knots. The airplane flight manual specified a crosswind limitation of 20 kts for takeoff and landing; therefore, the crosswind at the time of the accident exceeded the airframe crosswind limitation and would have made control during touchdown difficult.

The pilot reported that he had made two requests with the approach controller to land on a different runway, but those requests were denied. The investigation was unable to make any determination regarding a pilot request for an alternate runway. Federal Aviation Regulations stated that the pilot in command of an aircraft is directly responsible for, and is the final authority as to, the operation of that aircraft. The regulations also stated that no person may operate a civil aircraft without complying with the operating limitations. The pilot’s ultimate acceptance of the runway assignment which likely exceeded the crosswind limitation of the airplane was contrary to the regulations and to the safe operation of the airplane.

Probable Cause and Findings:

Loss of directional control during landing which resulted in a runway excursion. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s decision to land with a crosswind that exceeded the limitation for the airplane.

🛩️ Acidente com HondaJet HA-420 – N14QB – Houston, Texas – 17 de fevereiro de 2023

6 pessoas a bordo (POB) – Sem feridos
Tempo total de voo do piloto: 1.134 horas (todas as aeronaves), sendo 287 horas neste modelo específico

Em 17 de fevereiro de 2023, às 11h16 (horário padrão central), uma aeronave Honda Aircraft HA-420, prefixo N14QB, sofreu danos substanciais após se envolver em um acidente no Aeroporto William P. Hobby (HOU), em Houston, Texas. O piloto e cinco passageiros não se feriram.

O voo partiu do Aeroporto Executivo de Miami (TMB) às 09h05 (horário padrão do leste). Ao chegar na área de Houston, o piloto recebeu vetores de radar para uma aproximação ILS (sistema de pouso por instrumentos) na pista 4. Inicialmente, a torre autorizou o pouso, mas em seguida instruiu o piloto a arremeter, devido a outra aeronave na pista.

Após novo vetoramento para outra aproximação ILS à pista 4, o piloto foi autorizado a pousar e informado do vento atual: 340° a 15 nós. Cerca de dois minutos depois, a torre informou a uma aeronave em decolagem que o vento estava em 330° a 15 nós, com rajadas de até 25 nós. Neste momento, o HondaJet encontrava-se a 3 milhas da final.

O que aconteceu durante o pouso?

O piloto tentou pousar com vento cruzado com rajadas. Após o toque na pista, ele posicionou os ailerons para compensar o vento e aplicou os freios — mas não houve resposta perceptível. A aeronave então derrapou para a esquerda, saiu da pista e parou na grama, em posição vertical. A parte externa da asa direita se soltou, causando dano substancial à estrutura.

📊 Dados técnicos revelam:

• A aeronave estava 14 nós ou mais acima da velocidade de referência de pouso (Vref) ao cruzar a cabeceira da pista

• Tocou o solo cerca de 2.000 pés após a cabeceira.

• O sensor de peso (Weight-on-Wheels – WOW) do lado esquerdo indicou solo e logo depois voltou a indicar voo, enquanto o do lado direito permaneceu indicando solo até a saída da pista.

Sistemas e freios

• A proteção de toque do sistema de freio impede a aplicação dos freios antes que as rodas girem, para evitar travamento prematuro.

• O sistema de freio só é habilitado após 3 segundos com ambos os trens no solo.

• Os sensores WOW inconsistentes inibiram os freios, o que explica a ausência de frenagem observada pelo piloto

⚠️ Contribuições para o acidente

• Velocidade excessiva, toque prolongado, e WOW intermitente indicam que a aeronave flutuou no flare (arredondamento antes do toque).

• O HondaJet não possui speedbrakes nas asas, o que teria ajudado a manter a aeronave firmemente no solo após o toque.

• O vento cruzado relatado pela torre (330° a 15 nós, rajadas de 25) representava um componente de vento cruzado de cerca de 24 nós, acima do limite de 20 nós para pouso e decolagem especificado no manual da aeronave

👨‍✈️ Decisão do piloto e responsabilidade

O piloto afirmou que pediu duas vezes para pousar em outra pista, mas os pedidos foram negados. A investigação não pôde confirmar essas solicitações.
A regulamentação aeronáutica determina que o comandante é o responsável final pela operação da aeronave e que não se pode operar fora dos limites estabelecidos.

Assim, a aceitação final da pista atribuída — com ventos superiores ao limite da aeronave — contrariou os regulamentos e comprometeu a segurança operacional.

✅ Causa Provável e Conclusão:

• Causa principal: Perda de controle direcional no pouso, resultando em saída da pista.

• Fator contribuinte: Decisão do piloto de pousar com vento cruzado acima do limite operacional da aeronave.