Mount Snow Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

West Dover, Vermont 05356
Thursday, January 28, 1993 21:35 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT STARTED THE TAKEOFF ROLL ON THE ICY RUNWAY. HE SAID, 'AT APPROXIMATELY 70 KNOTS (AT ROTATION) THE AIRCRAFT STARTED TO DRIFT LEFT AND BOTH STEERING AND RUDDER WERE INEFFECTIVE IN STOPPING THE DRIFT. THE LEFT PROPELLER STRUCK THE ICE BANK.' THE AIRPLANE YAWED TO THE LEFT AND DEPARTED THE RUNWAY, COLLAPSING THE LANDING GEAR. THE WIND WAS APPROXIMATELY 45 DEGREES FROM THE RIGHT AT AN ESTIMATED 4 KNOTS. THE EDGES OF THE RUNWAY HAD SNOW BANKS APPROXIMATELY 2 FEET HIGH. AN EXAMINATION BY THE FAA OF THE AIRPLANE RUDDER AND BRAKING SYSTEMS FOUND NO DISCREPANCIES.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL DURING TAKEOFF, AND HIS INADEQUATE REMEDIAL ACTIONS, RESULTING IN A COLLISION WITH A SNOWBANK. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE THE ICE COVERED RUNWAY AND THE SNOWBANK ALONG THE RUNWAY EDGES.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 1/28/1993
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 2135
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City WEST DOVER
Event State VERMONT
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 05356
Event Date Year 1993
Event Date Month 1
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport MOUNT SNOW
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 4V8
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 1953
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 1000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Obscured
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 3
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) -4
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 225
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 4
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
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 5
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 83
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jan 29 1993 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1105
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 48353
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 1:07PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N40586
NTSB Number NYC93LA056
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 PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-23-250
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-23-250
Aircraft Serial Number 27-7405330
Certified Max Gross Weight 5200
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 6
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Oct 14 1992 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 30
Airframe Hours 1857
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name AVIATION BLOCK & CHARTER, INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 153 PROSPECT ST
Aircraft Owner City RIDGEWOOD
Aircraft Owner State NJ
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 07650
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name AVIATION BLOCK & CHARTER, INC.
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
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 Yes
Departure Airport Code 4V8
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 2135
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code FRG
Destination City FARMINGDALE
Destination State NY
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 19
Runway Length 2650
Runway Width 70
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --