Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Canyonlands Field Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Moab, Utah 84532
Tuesady, December 22, 2009 17:00 MST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The pilot noted that there were no Notice to Airman (NOTAMs) indicating an airport closure when he decided to depart on the cargo flight. He said that the runway surface had a thin snow covering and that light snow was falling. During the takeoff roll, about 1/4 of the way down the runway, the airplane encountered deeper snow and began to veer to the left of the runway centerline. The pilot attempted to correct to no avail and opted to abort the takeoff. The airplane exited the left side of the runway, coming to rest beside the runway with its nose pointed about 90 degrees from the runway heading and with a collapsed nose gear. The airport manager and other witnesses on the airport stated that the runway had a 4- to 5-inch snow layer and that heavy snow was falling. The airport manager said that at the time of the accident, he was in the process of closing the airport for snow removal operations since the runway snow cover was in excess of 2 inches. The 14 CFR Part 139 Airport Certification Manual stated that snow removal operations are to be initiated when accumulations reach 2 inches of dry snow (maximum allowed), and the airport manager is responsible for using one of four pieces of airport-owned snow removal equipment or notifying the appropriate county department to begin snow removal. There was no indication that the airport manager attempted to get the county's snow removal equipment to the airport prior to the accident. The ACM further says that the runway will be closed for aircraft use if it has more than 1/2 inch of slush or 2 inches of dry snow. The airport manager did not attempt to close the runway until the snow was 4 to 5 inches deep, in contrast to the ACM guidelines. He commented that there is limited amount of snow removal resources at the airport and he was "waiting for the snow to let up" before he began snow removal operations.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot's decision to depart on a snow covered runway, which resulted in a loss of control and encounter with terrain. Contributing to the accident was the airport manager's failure to adhere to the Airport Certification Manual and close the runway due to unsafe snow accumulation.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 12/22/2009 |
| Event Day of the Week | Tuesday |
| Time of Event | 1700 |
| Event Time Zone | Mountain Standard Time |
| Event City | Moab |
| Event State | UTAH |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 84532 |
| Event Date Year | 2009 |
| Event Date Month | 12 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 384517N |
| Event Location Longitude | 1094517W |
| Event Location Airport | Canyonlands Field Airport |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | CNY |
| 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 | -- |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1653 Mountain Standard Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | -- |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | CNY |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 4557 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | -- |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | MST |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 1500 |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 800 |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Few |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | Overcast |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 1 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | -5 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | -7 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 340 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 4 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 29.62 |
| 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) | 27203 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA Comm Center |
| NTSB Notification Date | -- |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jul 22 2010 6:12PM |
| User who most recently changed record | coos |
| Basic weather conditions | Instrument Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N520NE |
| NTSB Number | WPR10LA092 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | Company VFR |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | Yes |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | CESSNA |
| Aircraft Model | 402C |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 402C1014 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | -- |
| Aircraft Category | Airplane |
| Aircraft Registration Class | -- |
| Aircraft is a homebuilt? | No |
| Flight Crew Seats | -- |
| Cabin Crew Seats | -- |
| Passenger Seats | -- |
| Total number of seats on the aircraft | 10 |
| Number of Engines | 2 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Retractable |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | AAIP |
| Date of Last Inspection | Dec 12 2009 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 15 |
| Airframe Hours | 18404 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | D+A INVESTMENTS LLC |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 4921 CHAPPELL DR NE |
| Aircraft Owner City | ALBUQUERQUE |
| Aircraft Owner State | NM |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 87107-6825 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | Aero Charter and Transport |
| Operator Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Street Address | -- |
| Operator City | ALBUQUERQUE |
| Operator State | NM |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | -- |
| Operator Code | -- |
| Owner has at least one certificate | Yes - certificate holder |
| Other Operator of large aircraft? | No |
| Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation | -- |
| Operator Certificate Number | -- |
| Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not | Non-scheduled |
| Indicates Domestic or International Flight | Domestic |
| Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail | Cargo |
| Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) | -- |
| Second Pilot on Board | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | Yes |
| Departure Airport Code | CNY |
| Departure City | Moab |
| Departure State | UT |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1700 |
| Departure Time Zone | MST |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | puc |
| Destination City | Price |
| Destination State | UT |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Aug 25 2010 4:54PM |
| User who most recently changed record | broda |
| Since inspection or accident | Last Inspection |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 21 |
| Runway Length | 7100 |
| Runway Width | 75 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |