Tower Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Tower, Minnesota 55790
Friday, November 20, 1998 16:00 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

On his third landing at the Tower, Minnesota Airport, the pilot said that he touched down left of the runway centerline, and failed to correct back. He said that 'the left landing gear caught a [snow] drift and caused the nose [of the airplane] to turn into a snowbank.' Examination of the airplane revealed no anomalies.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the student pilot's failure to maintain directional control of the airplane after landing. Factors contributing to this accident were the icy runway and the snowbank.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 11/20/1998
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1600
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City TOWER
Event State MINNESOTA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 55790
Event Date Year 1998
Event Date Month 11
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport TOWER AIRPORT
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 12D
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 1
Degrees magnetic from airport 260
Airport Elevation 1400
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1455 Central Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 170
Weather Observation Facility ID DLH
Elevation of weather observation facility 1428
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 58
Time Zone of the weather observation CST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) -2
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -9
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 340
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 7
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 0
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
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 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 708
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Nov 23 1998 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 930
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 11:52AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N66314
NTSB Number CHI99LA036
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Cessna
Aircraft Model 150M
Aircraft Series Identifier 150M
Aircraft Serial Number 150-75983
Certified Max Gross Weight 1600
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 0
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Oct 29 1998 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 54
Airframe Hours 3501
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name ERIC HIETALA
Aircraft Owner Street Address 11014 NETT LAKE ROAD
Aircraft Owner City ORR
Aircraft Owner State MN
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 55771
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
Owner has at least one certificate None
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) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code ELO
Departure City ELY
Departure State MN
Departure Country
Departure Time 1445
Departure Time Zone CST
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code 12D
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 10:34AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 26
Runway Length 3400
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --