Dillant-Hopkins Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Keene, New Hampshire 03431
Wednesday, March 7, 2001 13:10 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot flew a normal approach, and landed the airplane, with the throttle closed, on a runway with patches of slushy snow and ice, and some blowing dry snow. The airplane touched down on centerline, about 60 knots, and the pilot kept his feet off the brakes during rollout. About 500 feet into the rollout, the airplane began to yaw, then slowly veer and skid to the left. The pilot attempted to straighten the airplane by increasing right rudder pressure. He also considered aborting the landing, but given the airplane's slow speed, and its proximity to a 4-foot snow bank, he decided an abort would be unsuccessful. The airplane continued to veer to the left, and hit the snow bank at approximately a 30-degree angle, about 30 miles per hour. Winds, about the time of the accident, were from approximately 15 degrees left of the runway, at 5 knots. The pilot had 92 hours of flight time, with previous experience landing on contaminated runways.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll. A factor included the patchy snow on the runway.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 3/7/2001
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1310
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City Keene
Event State NEW HAMPSHIRE
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 03431
Event Date Year 2001
Event Date Month 3
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude --
Event Location Longitude --
Event Location Airport Dillant-Hopkins
Event Location Nearest Airport ID EEN
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 488
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1315 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID EEN
Elevation of weather observation facility 488
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 3800
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 2
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -7
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 350
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 5
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.75
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 10322
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Mar 7 2001 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1700
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Jul 30 2001 11:11AM
User who most recently changed record MONR
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Portland

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N574SP
NTSB Number NYC01LA083
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? Yes
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Cessna
Aircraft Model 172S
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 172S8500
Certified Max Gross Weight 2550
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 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection AAIP
Date of Last Inspection Mar 2 2001 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 4
Airframe Hours 296
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Signal Aviation Services, Inc.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 58 Airport Road
Aircraft Owner City West Lebanon
Aircraft Owner State NH
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 03784
Operator is an individual? No
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? --
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation --
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 LEB
Departure City Lebanon
Departure State NH
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1250
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code EEN
Destination City Keene
Destination State NH
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Landing - roll
Report sent to ICAO? No
Evacuation occurred No
Date of most recent change to record May 29 2001 2:48PM
User who most recently changed record PEAR
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location 02
Runway Length 6201
Runway Width 100
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --