NTSB · Safety Recommendation
Safety Recommendation A-21-051
Recommendation
TO THE FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION: Include the runway design code for runways of intended use among the criteria assessed when authorizing a scheduled air carrier to operate its airplanes on a regular basis at an airport certificated under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 139.
Safety Issue and Context
This report discusses the October 17, 2019, accident involving a Saab SA-2000 airplane, operated by Peninsula Aviation Services Inc. d.b.a. PenAir flight 3296, which overran the end of runway 13 at Unalaska Airport, Unalaska, Alaska. The airplane was substantially damaged during the runway overrun; as a result, of the 3 crewmembers and 39 passengers aboard, 1 passenger sustained fatal injuries, and 1 passenger sustained serious injuries. Eight passengers sustained minor injuries, most of which occurred during the evacuation.
Safety issues identified in this report include the potential for cross-wiring of airplane antiskid brake systems; insufficient Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) guidance to identify safety risks for air carriers experiencing significant organizational changes, including bankruptcy, acquisition, and merger; lack of FAA consideration of runway safety area dimensions during the process of authorizing an air carrier to operate its aircraft at a specific Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 139 certificated airport, and the benefits of safety management systems for design, manufacturing, and maintenance organizations.
As a result of this investigation, the National Transportation Safety Board makes six new safety recommendations to the FAA, three new safety recommendations to the European Union Aviation Safety Agency, and one new recommendation to the Saab Group.
Response History
April 1, 2026 · NTSB Correspondence · FAA
On July 25, 2025, FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford informed us that the agency is continuing the work described in its previous letter regarding Safety Recommendation A-21-51. We look forward to receiving your next update.
July 25, 2025 · Recipient Response · FAA
-From Bryan Bedford, Administrator: The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is developing a new Advisory Circular (AC) for air carriers to use when establishing FAA approved procedures outlined in 14 CFR 121.97 and 14 CFR 121.117, Airports: Required Data, which requires air carriers to show the existence of an approved system for obtaining, maintaining, and distributing to appropriate personnel current aeronautical data to ensure safe operations at the airports used by the air carrier. Our intent is to have the draft AC published by March 2026. The new AC will provide guidance for evaluating airports certificated under 14 CFR 139, which will include runway design codes.
After the new AC is published, we will update Order 8900.1, Flight Standards Information Management System. The current order is available on the following website: https://www.faa.gov/documentLibrary/media/Order/Order_8900.1A.pdf
I will keep the Board informed of the FAA’s progress on Safety Recommendation A-21-51 and anticipate providing an update by April 30, 2026.