Summary
On February 27, 2010, a Cessna 340A (N1952E) was involved in an accident near Grove City, PA. The accident resulted in 3 minor injuries. The aircraft sustained substantial damage.
The National Transportation Safety Board determined the probable cause of this accident to be: The pilot's failure to maintain directional control after electing to land on a snow-covered runway.
The pilot overflew the airport and noted what he believed to be a light coating of snow on runway 10-28, a 4,500-foot-long, 75-foot-wide, asphalt runway. After landing on runway 28, the pilot realized that approximately 1 to 1 1/2 inches of snow was present on the surface of the runway. The airplane began to slide to the right. It subsequently departed the right side of the runway, struck a snow bank, and spun 180 degrees. The airplane sustained substantial damage to its horizontal stabilizer. The airport was unattended at the time of the accident and there were no notices to airmen pertaining to the condition of the runway. The pilot reported about 1,210 hours of total flight experience, which included 21 hours in the same make and model as the accident airplane.
This accident is documented in NTSB report ERA10CA231. AviatorDB cross-references NTSB investigation data with FAA registry records to provide comprehensive safety information for aircraft N1952E.
Accident Details
Probable Cause and Findings
The pilot's failure to maintain directional control after electing to land on a snow-covered runway.
Aircraft Information
Registered Owner (Historical)
Analysis
The pilot overflew the airport and noted what he believed to be a light coating of snow on runway 10-28, a 4,500-foot-long, 75-foot-wide, asphalt runway. After landing on runway 28, the pilot realized that approximately 1 to 1 1/2 inches of snow was present on the surface of the runway. The airplane began to slide to the right. It subsequently departed the right side of the runway, struck a snow bank, and spun 180 degrees. The airplane sustained substantial damage to its horizontal stabilizer. The airport was unattended at the time of the accident and there were no notices to airmen pertaining to the condition of the runway. The pilot reported about 1,210 hours of total flight experience, which included 21 hours in the same make and model as the accident airplane. He also reported that winds at the time of the accident were from 260 degrees at 10 to 15 knots.
Data Source
Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# ERA10CA231