Investigation Summary
The flight was a charter carrying six employees of Revel Entertainment to a meeting with a glass manufacturer. During the approach, the crew navigated around a severe squall line and expressed a desire to land quickly to avoid further weather. Upon landing on Runway 30, the pilots failed to utilize the full braking capability of the Hawker 800. Specifically, they moved the airbrake handle to the OPEN position rather than the DUMP position, which would have fully extended the flaps to 75 degrees and maximized drag. Realizing the aircraft was not slowing sufficiently, the captain initiated a go-around with only a few hundred feet of runway remaining. The aircraft became momentarily airborne but struck the localizer antenna and approach lights, causing a catastrophic roll to the right.
Final Conclusions
The NTSB cited the captain's decision to attempt a go-around late in the landing roll as the primary cause. Contributing factors included poor crew coordination, a lack of cockpit discipline, and pilot fatigue. Both pilots had significant sleep debts, and the first officer had self-medicated with zolpidem (Ambien) the night before. The investigation also highlighted the FAA's failure to require Crew Resource Management (CRM) training and Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for Part 135 on-demand charter operators.
Video Analysis
The Most Horrifying Pilot Mistake I've Ever Talked About! — An analysis of East Coast Jets Flight 81, focusing on the critical decision-making errors during the landing phase at Owatonna.
If playback is blocked, the owner has disabled embedding — use the link above.
Airframe & Maintenance
Crew Experience
Captain
Had 874 hours on Learjet aircraft.
First Officer
Had 2 hours on Learjet aircraft.
Systems & Failure Modes
Lift Dump / Airbrakes
A system on the Hawker 800 that, when set to the DUMP position, extends flaps to 75 degrees to maximize aerodynamic braking; the crew failed to use this setting.
ILS Localizer Antenna
Ground-based navigation equipment located beyond the runway end which the aircraft struck during its attempted climb.
Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR)
The primary source of data for the investigation due to the lack of a flight data recorder.
Interesting Facts
- 01The aircraft was manufactured in 1990 and had been operated by East Coast Jets since 2003.
- 02The NTSB determined the aircraft would have stopped within the runway safety area if the crew had not attempted to go around.
- 03One passenger survived the initial impact but died less than two hours later at a hospital.
- 04The first officer had taken Ambien approximately 12 hours before the crash, though its direct pharmacological effect had likely worn off.
- 05All seven passengers were executives or contractors for the Revel Casino project in Atlantic City.
- 06The aircraft was not equipped with a Flight Data Recorder (FDR), which was not required for this aircraft type under Part 135 at the time.
Safety Actions & Advisories
CRM Training for Part 135
The NTSB recommended that the FAA require Crew Resource Management training and Standard Operating Procedures for all Part 135 on-demand operators.
Go-Around Guidance
Recommended the development of 'committed-to-stop' points for turbine-powered aircraft to prevent late-stage go-around attempts.
Sleep Medication Policy
The NTSB suggested the FAA review and potentially ease restrictions on certain sleep medications to help pilots manage insomnia safely under medical supervision.