Saranac Lake Adirondack Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Saranac Lake, New York 12983
Tuesady, January 20, 1998 20:30 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

During the night landing on a snow covered runway, the twin-turboprop airplane drifted left into deeper snow, struck a snow bank and came to a stop. The flightcrew had been informed that the runway was cleared to its full width of 150 feet, with 1/4 inch of snow over patches of ice. Post-accident observation of the runway revealed that there were snow banks 2 to 4 feet high on both sides, and snow extended from both sides inward for about 20 feet, at a depth of 4 to 6 inches. A snow bank also extended out from a taxiway approximately 20 feet onto the runway.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The inadequate snow removal from the runway by airport personnel which left a snow bank extending onto the runway.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 1/20/1998
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 2030
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City SARANAC LAKE
Event State NEW YORK
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 12983
Event Date Year 1998
Event Date Month 1
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport SARANAC LAKE ADIRONDACK
Event Location Nearest Airport ID SLK
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 1663
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 2015 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID SLK
Elevation of weather observation facility 1663
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 800
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 7
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) -6
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -7
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 320
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 7
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Light
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 12
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1790
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jan 22 1998 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 900
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 10:39AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N854CA
NTSB Number IAD98LA023
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 121: Air Carrier
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Beech
Aircraft Model 1900D
Aircraft Series Identifier 1900D
Aircraft Serial Number UE-60
Certified Max Gross Weight 16950
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 21
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Continuous Airworthiness
Date of Last Inspection Jan 14 1998 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 49
Airframe Hours 9433
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name CHAMPLAIN ENTERPRISES
Aircraft Owner Street Address 518 RUGAR STREET
Aircraft Owner City PLATTSBURG
Aircraft Owner State NY
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 12901
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code JJBA
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not Scheduled
Indicates Domestic or International Flight Domestic
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail Passenger Only
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code ALB
Departure City ALBANY
Departure State NY
Departure Country
Departure Time 1945
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code SLK
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:30AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 23
Runway Length 6573
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --