CRAIG, CO, USA
N82290
PIPER PA-31T
THE PLT REQUESTED THE SNOW COVERED RWY BE REPLOWED BEFORE HE TOOK OFF. HE RPRTD THAT AFTERWARD, HE SAW NO SNOW RIDGES OR EVIDENCE OF UNEVEN PLOWING & CONCLUDED THE 'RUNWAY DEMARCATION WAS ADEQUATE FOR TAKEOFF.' HE SAID THAT DRG TAKEOFF, AT ABOUT 80 KTS, HE FELT THE LEFT GEAR DRAG AND THE AIRPLANE BEGAN TO SWERVE LEFT. HE CORRECTED WITH RUDDER & THE AIRPLANE SWERVED TO THE RIGHT EDGE OF THE RWY. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE PLT LOST CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE & IT CONTINUED INTO A SNOWBANK & WAS DAMAGED. RPRTDLY, THE ACFT SWERVED AFTER ENCOUNTERING A 'SNOWRIDGE' LEFT BY THE SNOWPLOW. NO PRE-ACDNT PART FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION WAS RPRTD.
UNSUITABLE TERRAIN (RUNWAY CONDITION) SELECTED BY THE PILOT. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS, INADEQUATE REMOVAL OF SNOW FROM THE RUNWAY BY AIRPORT PERSONNEL, UNEVEN SNOW COVERED RUNWAY, LACK OF VISUAL PERCEPTION BY THE PILOT, AND SNOWBANKS BESIDE THE RUNWAY.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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