US investigators have concluded that a Shuttle America Embraer 170 regional jet slid off the end of a Cleveland runway last year in snow after the crew failed to conduct a go-around despite indistinct visual cues during the approach.
However, the National Transportation Safety Board has also criticised the captain's decision not to remove himself from duty, despite suffering from fatigue.
The Delta Connection flight on 18 February 2007 suffered a collapsed nose-gear as it overran and struck an instrument landing system (ILS) antenna and the airport's perimeter fence. Investigators found that the crew descended to the ILS decision height, instead of the minimum descent altitude, despite being advised that the glideslope was unavailable. The NTSB says the pilots should have performed the approach based on localiser minimums.
The first officer landed long on the contaminated runway 28 which, at 1,833m (6,014ft), was relatively short. Investigators found that the pilots then failed to use effective braking and reverse thrust, adding that the aircraft would have otherwise probably stopped in time.
But the inquiry also cites the contribution of the captain's fatigue and says this affected his ability to plan and monitor the approach.
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Source: FlightGlobal.com
