| Crash location | 44.060000°N, 69.099166°W |
| Nearest city | Rockland, ME
44.103691°N, 69.108929°W 3.1 miles away |
| Tail number | N701DF |
|---|---|
| Accident date | 14 Sep 2005 |
| Aircraft type | Raytheon BE-390 |
| Additional details: | None |
On September 14, 2005, at 2100 eastern daylight time, a Raytheon BE-390 Premier I, N701DF, was substantially damaged while landing at the Knox County Regional Airport (RKD), Rockland, Maine. The certificated airline transport pilot and commercial pilot were uninjured. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed, and an instrument flight rules flight plan was filed for the flight that originated at the Atlantic City International Airport (ACY), Atlantic City, New Jersey. The business flight was conducted under 14 CFR Part 91.
According to the pilot, as the airplane touched down on runway 13, the left main landing gear tire "blew," and the airplane began to veer left. The pilot then lifted the airplane off the ground, it banked to the right, and experienced an "ugly flare." The airplane lost airspeed and impacted the ground "hard" on the right landing gear.
The pilot reported no mechanical deficiencies with the airplane. He additionally reported 7,100 total hours of flight experience, 400 hours of which were in make and model.
A Federal Aviation Administration inspector identified a set of tire marks on the runway that were consistent with the dimensions of the accident airplane's landing gear. The first mark, which was the farthest to the right in the set, started approximately 1,000 feet from the runway threshold and 17 feet left of the runway centerline. The next mark, which was the farthest left in the set, started approximately 23 feet further. The third mark, which was evenly spaced between the right and left marks, started 48 feet down the runway from the start of the first mark.
Examination of the airplane revealed that during the landing, the right main landing gear punctured the wing, resulting in substantial damage. The left landing gear tire was "shredded," but portions of the tire remained attached to the rim. No preimpact mechanical deficiencies were noted with the airplane or tire.
The weather reported at RKD, at 2100, included winds from 080 degrees at 3 knots, visibility 1/4 statute mile, overcast clouds at 100 feet, temperature 57 degrees Fahrenheit, dew point 57 degrees Fahrenheit, and altimeter setting 30.02 inches of mercury.
The pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control during landing.