Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Branch County Memorial Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Coldwater, Michigan 49036
Wednesday, January 15, 2014 11:00 EST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The pilot departed on a short cross-country flight and arrived at his destination airport about 1100. The pilot stated that he overflew the airport and observed blowing snow on both runways. Because the wind was from 220 degrees, he elected to land on runway 22. During the roll-out, the airplane collided with plowed snow at the intersection of runway 07/25. The airplane's nose gear collapsed resulting in substantial damage to the airplane's fuselage. The pilot added that the snow banks should have been removed from the intersection and a NOTAM (notice to airmen) should have been published. A review of the Airport/Facilities Directory's (A/FD) note section for the airport had the notice: "Runway 07/25 plowed during winter months, contact the airport manager for conditions". At 1055, the automated weather reporting station at the airport reported the visibility at 3 miles in light snow, with the wind from 260 degrees at 11 knots. The weather station normally broadcasts the A/FD message about runway 07/25 being plowed during winter months; however, an electrical power interruption erased the message prior to the accident. With reduced visibility and blowing snow on the runways, it's likely that a pilot would not be able to see plowed snow banks at the intersection of runway 04/22 and 07/25.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
Airport personnel did not remove the snow banks from the intersecting runway and/or close the intersection runway, which resulted in the airplane impacting the snow banks. Contributing to the accident was the reduced visibility inhibiting the pilot's ability to see the plowed snow hazard.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 1/15/2014 |
| Event Day of the Week | Wednesday |
| Time of Event | 1100 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Standard Time |
| Event City | Coldwater |
| Event State | MICHIGAN |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 49036 |
| Event Date Year | 2014 |
| Event Date Month | 1 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 415608N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0850251W |
| Event Location Airport | Branch County Memorial Airport |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | KOEB |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | On Airport |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 0 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | 959 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1055 Eastern Standard Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | -- |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | KOEB |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | -- |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | -- |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EST |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 1200 |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 1200 |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Thin Broken |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | Broken |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 3 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | -5 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | -12 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 260 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 11 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 29.96 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | METAR KOEB 151555Z AUTO 26011KT 3SM -SN BKN012 OVC |
| 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) | 32467 |
| NTSB Notification Source | ROC |
| NTSB Notification Date | -- |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Mar 26 2014 3:41PM |
| User who most recently changed record | hatc |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N10MF |
| NTSB Number | CEN14CA114 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | -- |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | No |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | CESSNA |
| Aircraft Model | 340 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 340-0198 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 5975 |
| Aircraft Category | Airplane |
| Aircraft Registration Class | -- |
| Aircraft is a homebuilt? | No |
| Flight Crew Seats | -- |
| Cabin Crew Seats | -- |
| Passenger Seats | 6 |
| Total number of seats on the aircraft | -- |
| Number of Engines | 2 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Retractable |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | Jan 11 2012 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | 7549.5 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | Yes |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | INTERTECH LEASING INC |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 7210 N BAKER RD |
| Aircraft Owner City | FREMONT |
| Aircraft Owner State | IN |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 467379609 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | INTERTECH LEASING INC |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | 7210 N BAKER RD |
| Operator City | FREMONT |
| Operator State | IN |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 467379609 |
| 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 | KANQ |
| Departure City | Angola |
| Departure State | IN |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1030 |
| Departure Time Zone | EST |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | crash at destination city |
| Destination Airport Code | KOEB |
| Destination City | Coldwater |
| Destination State | MI |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Mar 6 2014 11:19AM |
| User who most recently changed record | hatc |
| Since inspection or accident | Last Inspection |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 22 |
| Runway Length | 3500 |
| Runway Width | 75 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |