Craig-Moffat Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Craig, Colorado 81625
Friday, January 6, 1989 13:07 MST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PLT REQUESTED THE SNOW COVERED RWY BE REPLOWED BEFORE HE TOOK OFF. HE RPRTD THAT AFTERWARD, HE SAW NO SNOW RIDGES OR EVIDENCE OF UNEVEN PLOWING & CONCLUDED THE 'RUNWAY DEMARCATION WAS ADEQUATE FOR TAKEOFF.' HE SAID THAT DRG TAKEOFF, AT ABOUT 80 KTS, HE FELT THE LEFT GEAR DRAG AND THE AIRPLANE BEGAN TO SWERVE LEFT. HE CORRECTED WITH RUDDER & THE AIRPLANE SWERVED TO THE RIGHT EDGE OF THE RWY. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE PLT LOST CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE & IT CONTINUED INTO A SNOWBANK & WAS DAMAGED. RPRTDLY, THE ACFT SWERVED AFTER ENCOUNTERING A 'SNOWRIDGE' LEFT BY THE SNOWPLOW. NO PRE-ACDNT PART FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION WAS RPRTD.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

UNSUITABLE TERRAIN (RUNWAY CONDITION) SELECTED BY THE PILOT. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS, INADEQUATE REMOVAL OF SNOW FROM THE RUNWAY BY AIRPORT PERSONNEL, UNEVEN SNOW COVERED RUNWAY, LACK OF VISUAL PERCEPTION BY THE PILOT, AND SNOWBANKS BESIDE THE RUNWAY.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 1/6/1989
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1307
Event Time Zone Mountain Standard Time
Event City CRAIG
Event State COLORADO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 81625
Event Date Year 1989
Event Date Month 1
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport CRAIG-MOFFAT
Event Location Nearest Airport ID CAG
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 6198
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
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 400
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) 0
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) -5
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -7
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 330
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 5
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Moderate
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 6
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 154
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jan 6 1989 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1350
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 38473
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 12:24PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N82290
NTSB Number DEN89LA058
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-31T
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-31T
Aircraft Serial Number 31T-7820058
Certified Max Gross Weight 9000
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 7
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Continuous Airworthiness
Date of Last Inspection Aug 11 1988 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 60
Airframe Hours 2450
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name CUMMINS POWER, INC
Aircraft Owner Street Address 5100 EAST 58TH AVE.
Aircraft Owner City COMMERCE CITY
Aircraft Owner State CO
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 80022
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name CUMMINS POWER INC
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 5100 EAST 58TH AVENUE
Operator City COMMERCE CITY
Operator State CO
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 80022
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) Executive/Corporate
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code CAG
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1307
Departure Time Zone MST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code APA
Destination City ENGLEWOOD
Destination State CO
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Takeoff
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:35AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 25
Runway Length 5600
Runway Width 100
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --