Hampton Roads Executive Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Chesapeake, Virginia 23321
Saturday, January 18, 2003 14:40 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot spent 1 1/2 hours prior to the flight brushing snow from the leading edges of the airplane's wings, but had left the remainder of snow pushed back on the wings. On takeoff, when the airplane reached an altitude of 300 feet agl, the airplane's stall horn activated. The pilot lowered the nose of the airplane to prevent a stall, but the stall horn continued to sound. She then executed a 180-degree turn back toward the runway, but was unable to reach it, and landed hard in a field adjacent to the airport. A witness, a Federal Aviation Administration Designated Pilot Examiner, saw the airplane taxiing through the ramp area and recalled that both of the airplane's wings were nearly covered with 4-inch tall chunks of snow and ice. The witness also reported that there was at least a 1/4-inch layer of ice and snow on the wings when she arrived to the scene of the accident. In a written statement, the pilot reported that she, "...failed to adequately remove some snow from the top of the wings." After the accident, the pilot voluntarily sought and received training regarding frost, icing, and snow and its effects on aircraft performance.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's failure to adequately remove snow and ice from the airplane's wings prior to takeoff.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 1/18/2003
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1440
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City CHESAPEAKE
Event State VIRGINIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 23321
Event Date Year 2003
Event Date Month 1
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 364648N
Event Location Longitude 0762656W
Event Location Airport Hampton Roads Executive
Event Location Nearest Airport ID PVG
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 0.25
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 23
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1420 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 150
Weather Observation Facility ID CPK
Elevation of weather observation facility 20
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 10
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
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) 16
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 350
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 3
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.16
Density Altitude (feet) -1780
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 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 13836
NTSB Notification Source FAA EROC
NTSB Notification Date Jan 18 2003 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1515
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Aug 26 2003 8:17AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\JOHB
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office RICHMOND FAA/FSDO

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N6312E
NTSB Number IAD03LA029
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? No
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Cessna
Aircraft Model 172
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 46412
Certified Max Gross Weight 2200
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 Annual
Date of Last Inspection Nov 1 2002 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 80
Airframe Hours 4000
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name RAYMOND W. STEVENS
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City NORFOLK
Aircraft Owner State VA
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 23503
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 PVG
Departure City HAMPTON ROADS
Departure State VA
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1440
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 Takeoff - initial climb
Report sent to ICAO? No
Evacuation occurred No
Date of most recent change to record Feb 24 2003 8:48PM
User who most recently changed record COXP
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location --
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --