Ross Country Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Chillicothe, Ohio 45601
Thursday, December 28, 1989 15:35 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE STUDENT PILOT STATED THAT WHEN HE DEPARTED THE ARPT, THE WX & RWY CONDITIONS WERE FAIR TO GOOD. HE NOTED THAT ALTHOUGH THE WEATHER WAS COLD, IT WAS SUNNY & THE COMPACTED SNOW ON THE RUNWAY WAS MELTING. THE STUDENT PRACTICED AIRWORK IN THE LOCAL AREA FOR ABOUT AN HOUR, THEN RETURNED TO THE ARPT, INTENDING TO PRACTICE TAKEOFFS & LANDINGS. HE REPORTED THAT HIS LANDING WAS NORMAL, BUT AS THE ACFT DECELERATED ON THE RUNWAY, IT ENCOUNTERED AN ICY AREA & HE WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL. THE ACFT VEERED OFF THE LEFT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY & NOSED OVER ON SNOW COVERED TERRAIN. THE PLT STATED THAT THE SKY HAD CLOUDED OVER WHILE HE WAS AWAY FROM THE ARPT. WHEN HE RETURNED, THE PREVIOUSLY MELTED SNOW ON THE RUNWAY HAD 'GLAZED OVER' & WAS SLICK.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

IMPROPER PLANNING/DECISION BY THE STUDENT PILOT, WHICH RESULTED IN A LANDING ON A SLICK RUNWAY, AND HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL DURING THE LANDING, WHICH RESULTED IN HIS INABILITY TO MAINTAIN RUNWAY ALIGNMENT. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WERE: THE ICY/SNOW COVERED RUNWAY, SNOW COVERED TERRAIN BESIDE THE RUNWAY, AND THE STUDENT'S LACK OF EXPERIENCE IN WINTER OPERATIONS.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 12/28/1989
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1535
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City CHILLICOTHE
Event State OHIO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 45601
Event Date Year 1989
Event Date Month 12
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport ROSS COUNTRY
Event Location Nearest Airport ID RZT
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 726
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1450 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 10
Weather Observation Facility ID CMH
Elevation of weather observation facility 816
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 34
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 2500
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Unknown
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 12
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 0
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -4
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 240
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 7
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
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 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1445
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 39743
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 1:15PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N3647E
NTSB Number CHI90LA058
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 AERONCA
Aircraft Model 11AC
Aircraft Series Identifier 11AC
Aircraft Serial Number 11AC-1835
Certified Max Gross Weight 1250
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 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection May 12 1989 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 104
Airframe Hours 1217
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name JAMES L. MCNALL
Aircraft Owner Street Address 17273 STATE RT 104
Aircraft Owner City CHILLICOTHE
Aircraft Owner State OH
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 45601
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) Instructional
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code RZT
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1430
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
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 10:35AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 22
Runway Length 5398
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --