Page 13 - March 25

or incident. Our goal is to be as
close to the center of the target as
possible (See Figure 1). This will
give us the biggest buffer of safety. If
something goes wrong, we will have
that buffer to fix it. If we are already
operating near the edge of the target
and something goes wrong, then we
fall off the target and end up with an
incident or accident (See Figure 2).
On Jan. 4, 2020, a King Air
B200 was making an approach
in instrument conditions at the
Morristown, New Jersey, airport.
The pilot reported that he saw an
area of patchy fog over the approach
end of the runway and leveled off to
avoid the fog. He landed the airplane
with about 3,000 feet of the nearly
6,000-foot-long runway remaining
and felt the airplane hydroplaning
while using a combination of
wheel braking and the beta range
of the propellers. The airplane
subsequently overran the end of the
runway onto grass and mud, causing
the nose landing gear to collapse.
The airplane sustained substantial
damage to the forward fuselage.
Why was the pilot unable to stop
in 3,000 feet? Stopping a King Air
B200 in 3,000 feet should not be too
difficult. Let’s say the pilot was on
speed and descending normally on the
approach. We don’t know what altitude
the pilot leveled off. If the approach is
flown to minimums and the runway
is not in sight, the pilot needs to go
around. By leveling off at some point
then diving for the runway when it
came into sight, the airspeed may have
increased to a higher-than-normal
approach speed. It is also possible
that the decent rate was higher than
normal. The pilot is no longer in the
center of the safety target and has
moved closer to the edge.
But all is well, right? The King Air
is a forgiving airplane. The pilot is
thinking, “I can stop this airplane in
3,000 feet.” Fast and max braking is
used as the airplane touches down.
The standing water, which was not
accounted for, causes the event to go
outside the edge of the safety target.
The pilot has lost the buffer of safety,
resulting in a runway overrun.
MARCH 2025 Figure 1 Figure 2
When imagining a buffer of safety in your flight operations, consider the center of the
target (Figure 1) the highest level of safety and that your safety level decreases as
you move toward the outer rings (Figure 2).
How do we stay near the
center of the safety target?
We have all heard the saying, “A
good approach makes for a good
landing.” A stabilized approach is
a way to mitigate risks during the
landing phase of flight. These risks
could potentially result in a runway
excursion, loss of control or collision
with terrain. Following stabilized
approach procedures, FAA best
practices and aircraft checklists will
keep us in the center of the target of
safety, giving us a buffer for fixing
excursions. This lowers our overall
risk.
According to Chapter 9 of the
FAA’s Airplane Flying Handbook,
there are seven elements of a
stabilized approach.
= Glide path
Typically a constant 3 degrees
to the touchdown zone on
the runway (obstructions
permitting).
= Heading
The aircraft tracks the
centerline to the runway with
only minor heading/pitch
changes necessary to correct
for wind or turbulence to
maintain alignment. Bank angle
normally limited to 15 degrees
once established on final.
= Airspeed
The aircraft speed is within
+10 /-5 knots indicated airspeed
of the recommended landing
speed specified in the airplane
flight manual, 1.3 Vso or on
approved placards/markings. If
the pilot applies a gust factor,
indicated airspeed should not
decay below the recommended
landing speed.
= Configuration
The aircraft is in the correct
landing configuration with
flaps as required; landing gear
extended and is in trim.
= Descent rate
A descent rate (generally 500-
1,000 feet per minute for light
general aviation aircraft) makes
for a safe approach. Minimal
adjustments to the descent rate
as the airplane approaches the
runway provide an additional
indication of a stabilized and
safe approach. If using a descent
rate in excess of 500 fpm due
to approach considerations, the
pilot should reduce the descent
rate prior to 300 feet AGL.
KING AIR MAGAZINE •
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