Aviation Accident Summaries

Aviation Accident Summary IAD04CA012

Titusville, PA, USA

Aircraft #1

N7388N

Cessna 182P

Analysis

According to the pilot, he lost control of the airplane while landing on a runway contaminated with patches of snow and ice. The pilot landed close to the center line, and all three wheels were on the runway surface when the airplane began to veer to the left. The pilot applied right rudder, but the airplane continued to the left, "as [if] on ice even though none was visible." The pilot then added power to try to restore some directional control, but the left main landing gear caught a snow bank on the left side of the runway. The airplane then went over the snow bank and nosed over. The pilot reported no mechanical malfunctions or failures. He also reported 286 hours of flight time, with 107 hours in make and model. The runway was 4,902 feet long and 75 feet wide, and area winds were about 40 degrees from the left at 3 knots.

Factual Information

On February 22, 2004, at 1520 eastern standard time, a Cessna 182P, N7388N, was substantially damaged during a landing at Titusville Airport (6G1), Titusville, Pennsylvania. The certificated private pilot was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed for the local personal flight, conducted under 14 CFR Part 91. According to the pilot, he "lost control of [the airplane] while landing on a runway contaminated with patches of snow and ice." The pilot landed "very close to the center line of runway 36," and touched down approximately 1,000 to 1,200 feet from the threshold to avoid "visible snow." All three wheels were on the runway surface when the airplane began to veer to the left. The pilot applied right rudder, but the airplane continued to the left, "as [if] on ice even though none was visible." The pilot then added power "to try to restore some directional control," but at that moment, the left main landing gear caught the snow bank on the side of the runway. The airplane then went over the snow bank and nosed over. The pilot reported no mechanical malfunctions or failures. He also reported 286 hours of total flight time, with 107 hours in make and model. Runway 36 was 4,902 feet long and 75 feet wide. Winds reported at an airport 15 nautical miles to the southwest, at 1515, were from 310 degrees true at 3 knots.

Probable Cause and Findings

The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll. A factor in the accident was the snow bank.

 

Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database

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