| Crash location | 40.716667°N, 123.927500°W |
| Nearest city | Kneeland, CA
40.761243°N, 123.994778°W 4.7 miles away |
| Tail number | N258SJ |
|---|---|
| Accident date | 13 Sep 2003 |
| Aircraft type | Beech 58 |
| Additional details: | None |
On September 13, 2003, at 1353 Pacific daylight time, a Beech 58, N258SJ, intentionally departed the left side of runway 33, collapsed the landing gear, and came to rest on a berm while landing at the Kneeland, California, airport. The airplane was owned by Helicopter Express, Inc., and operated for company business transportation under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91. The airline transport pilot and one passenger were not injured; the airplane was substantially damaged. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed. The flight originated from Eureka, California, at 1345.
The pilot reported that during his landing on runway 33, he experienced poor braking action. The airport had a 500-foot drop at the departure end. About 200 feet from the end of the runway, the pilot intentionally initiated a left turn in an attempt to keep from going off the end of the runway and down the embankment. The airplane departed the left side of the runway surface onto a dirt area adjacent to the displace threshold. The airplane went down a descending embankment and all three landing gear collapsed as the airplane continued the left turn. The airplane came to rest with the right wing on a berm.
The northwest end of runway 15/33 had an undulating surface. Trees are in the approach path and runway 33 has an approach ratio of 32:1 to the 40-foot displaced threshold. There is a 40-foot drop-off that is 40 feet from the threshold. Runway 33 is 2,270 feet in length, and has a 0.05 percent up runway gradient. The pilot provided pictures of the runway asphalt surface, which is oxidized and deteriorating with fractured surface areas and open seams.
The pilot reported that the wind was variable out of the west about 5 knots.
In his written statement, the pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with any system during the event.
poor braking action due to the undulating runway surface and crumbling asphalt resulting in an on ground encounter with terrain. Contributing to the accident was the necessity for the pilot to fly an increased approach angle due to the trees at the approach end, a displaced threshold, short runway length, and descending embankment in proximity to the runway surface.