Show Low Municipal Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Show Low, Arizona 85901
Wednesday, March 18, 1998 4:41 MST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot taxied about 1/2 mile before reaching the displaced threshold of the runway. Witness reports indicated that it was snowing heavily and the pilot admitted that his windscreen was partially covered with heavy, wet snow. The pilot thought the snow would not be a factor once he began his takeoff roll. Examination of the runway by FAA inspectors disclosed that the starting point of the takeoff roll and where the airplane came to rest was a straight line, and, the airplanes tracks showed that the pilot inadvertently lined the airplane up with the runway edge lines rather than the centerline stripe. The airplane departed the runway and the nose gear collapsed in the mud. There was no evidence of a mechanical malfunction.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's failure to attain the proper alignment on the runway due to the obscuration by snow of the runway and on the airplane's windows.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 3/18/1998
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 441
Event Time Zone Mountain Standard Time
Event City SHOW LOW
Event State ARIZONA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 85901
Event Date Year 1998
Event Date Month 3
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport SHOW LOW MUNICIPAL
Event Location Nearest Airport ID SOW
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport 240
Airport Elevation 6412
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Pilot
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 600
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Partial Obscuration
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 2
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) -3
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 320
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 5
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 15
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Heavy
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 3
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 793
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Mar 18 1998 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 849
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 10:56AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N70PD
NTSB Number LAX98LA121
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Cessna
Aircraft Model 421B
Aircraft Series Identifier 421B
Aircraft Serial Number 421B0562
Certified Max Gross Weight 7450
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 5
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Feb 13 1998 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 14
Airframe Hours 6386
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name AMERICAN CORPORATE AVIATION
Aircraft Owner Street Address 14630 BRAMBLEWOOD DRIVE
Aircraft Owner City HOUSTON
Aircraft Owner State TX
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 77079
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 ANDA
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 --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Positioning
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 450
Departure Time Zone MST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code ZUN
Destination City ZUNI PUEBLO
Destination State NM
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Takeoff
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:34AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 24
Runway Length 6000
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight Yes
Medical Flight Medical Emergency