Mount Snow Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

West Dover, Vermont 05356
Sunday, August 8, 1999 12:00 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot cancelled his IFR clearance as he neared his destination airport, and flew visually. When the airplane was about 3 to 5 miles from the airport, he lowered the landing gear and wing flaps. When the airplane was about 2 miles away, he lost visual contact with the runway, added power for a go-around, and retracted the wing flaps and landing gear. When he was about 1/2 mile from the runway, he re-acquired the runway visually. He reduced the power, and lowered the flaps; however, he forgot to lower the landing gear. He also failed to maintain airspeed and the airplane dropped in from about 50 feet. The lower aft fuselage was crushed upon touchdown.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

was the diverted attention of the pilot, which resulted in his failure to maintain airspeed, and his failure to lower the landing gear prior to landing.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/8/1999
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1200
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City WEST DOVER
Event State VERMONT
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 05356
Event Date Year 1999
Event Date Month 8
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 Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 1000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 500
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 3.5
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 27
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 340
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
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 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 4
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 658
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Sep 15 1999 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2000
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Jan 10 2001 10:15AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N9756Q
NTSB Number NYC99LA228
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-601P
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-601P
Aircraft Serial Number 61P-0374-121
Certified Max Gross Weight 6300
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 Feb 28 1999 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 150
Airframe Hours 2850
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name SRQ INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1209 NORTH ORANGE STREET
Aircraft Owner City WILMINGTON
Aircraft Owner State DE
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 19801
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name ROBERT B. NORTH
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address BOX 8, RT 100
Operator City WEST DOVER
Operator State VT
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 05356
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 ITH
Departure City ITHACA
Departure State NY
Departure Country
Departure Time 1045
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code 4V8
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 10 2001 12:27PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 1
Runway Length 2650
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --