What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(.19) On February 20, 2003, at 1430 eastern standard time, a Cessna 180, N1752C, was substantially damaged during an attempted takeoff from Roberts Farm Airport (CT85), East Windsor, Connecticut. The certificated private pilot was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight that was destined for waterbury airport (N41), waterbury, Connecticut. No flight plan had been filed for the personal flight that was conducted under 14 CFR part 91. The pilot reported that the airplane was based at waterbury. The pilot taxied to runway 26, a 2,000 foot-long, 50 foot-wide turf runway; which had been partially plowed. As he applied power for takeoff, the left wheel contacted a snowbank on the left side the runway. The pilot attempted to correct with rudder; however, the airplane turned further left into the snow, and pitched forward onto its nose and left wing. The pilot added that the sides of the plowed area were not straight. An inspector from the federal aviation administration (FAA), reported that the snow was about 16 to 18 inches deep where the airplane departed the runway. The runway had been plowed to about 15 to 18 feet wide. In addition, examination of the airplane revealed the left wing spar was cracked at the strut attach point, the lower portion of the engine cowling was crushed back, and the propeller was bent. According to Cessna aircraft company, the width of the main landing gear on the Cessna 180 was 7 feet, 8 inches. The pilot reported the winds were from 330 degrees at 4 to 5 knots. The pilot reported his total flight experience was about 3,975 hours, with 30 hours in the preceding 90 days, and 15 hours in the preceding 30 days. (-23) the pilot stated that he taxied down ramp, and started takeoff. During application of power the left wheel contacted a low snow bank. The pilot stated that he added power in attempt to break free of the snow, but he wasunsuccessful, as the aircraft was pulled deeper into the snow by application of power. The aircraft came to rest on the main gear, with the lower engine cowl, and spinner on the ground. The aircraft has damage to the propeller, spinner, lower engine cowl, left wing spar outboard of the wing strut attach point, as well as some other sheet metal damage. It should be noted that the taxiway, and the runway were not cleared of snow to their full width , and that the surfaces were wet and contaminated with patchy snow, and ice.
As the FAA filed it
(.19) ON FEBRUARY 20, 2003, AT 1430 EASTERN STANDARD TIME, A CESSNA 180, N1752C, WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED DURING AN ATTEMPTED TAKEOFF FROM ROBERTS FARM AIRPORT (CT85), EAST WINDSOR, CONNECTICUT. THE CERTIFICATED PRIVATE PILOT WAS NOT INJURED. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED FOR THE FLIGHT THAT WAS DESTINED FOR WATERBURY AIRPORT (N41), WATERBURY, CONNECTICUT. NO FLIGHT PLAN HAD BEEN FILED FOR THE PERSONAL FLIGHT THAT WAS CONDUCTED UNDER 14 CFR PART 91. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT THE AIRPLANE WAS BASED AT WATERBURY. THE PILOT TAXIED TO RUNWAY 26, A 2,000 FOOT-LONG, 50 FOOT-WIDE TURF RUNWAY; WHICH HAD BEEN PARTIALLY PLOWED. AS HE APPLIED POWER FOR TAKEOFF, THE LEFT WHEEL CONTACTED A SNOWBANK ON THE LEFT SIDE THE RUNWAY. THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO CORRECT WITH RUDDER; HOWEVER, THE AIRPLANE TURNED FURTHER LEFT INTO THE SNOW, AND PITCHED FORWARD ONTO ITS NOSE AND LEFT WING. THE PILOT ADDED THAT THE SIDES OF THE PLOWED AREA WERE NOT STRAIGHT. AN INSPECTOR FROM THE FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION (FAA), REPORTED THAT THE SNOW WAS ABOUT 16 TO 18 INCHES DEEP WHERE THE AIRPLANE DEPARTED THE RUNWAY. THE RUNWAY HAD BEEN PLOWED TO ABOUT 15 TO 18 FEET WIDE. IN ADDITION, EXAMINATION OF THE AIRPLANE REVEALED THE LEFT WING SPAR WAS CRACKED AT THE STRUT ATTACH POINT, THE LOWER PORTION OF THE ENGINE COWLING WAS CRUSHED BACK, AND THE PROPELLER WAS BENT. ACCORDING TO CESSNA AIRCRAFT COMPANY, THE WIDTH OF THE MAIN LANDING GEAR ON THE CESSNA 180 WAS 7 FEET, 8 INCHES. THE PILOT REPORTED THE WINDS WERE FROM 330 DEGREES AT 4 TO 5 KNOTS. THE PILOT REPORTED HIS TOTAL FLIGHT EXPERIENCE WAS ABOUT 3,975 HOURS, WITH 30 HOURS IN THE PRECEDING 90 DAYS, AND 15 HOURS IN THE PRECEDING 30 DAYS. (-23) THE PILOT STATED THAT HE TAXIED DOWN RAMP, AND STARTED TAKEOFF. DURING APPLICATION OF POWER THE LEFT WHEEL CONTACTED A LOW SNOW BANK. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE ADDED POWER IN ATTEMPT TO BREAK FREE OF THE SNOW, BUT HE WASUNSUCCESSFUL, AS THE AIRCRAFT WAS PULLED DEEPER INTO THE SNOW BY APPLICATION OF POWER. THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST ON THE MAIN GEAR, WITH THE LOWER ENGINE COWL, AND SPINNER ON THE GROUND. THE AIRCRAFT HAS DAMAGE TO THE PROPELLER, SPINNER, LOWER ENGINE COWL, LEFT WING SPAR OUTBOARD OF THE WING STRUT ATTACH POINT, AS WELL AS SOME OTHER SHEET METAL DAMAGE. IT SHOULD BE NOTED THAT THE TAXIWAY, AND THE RUNWAY WERE NOT CLEARED OF SNOW TO THEIR FULL WIDTH , AND THAT THE SURFACES WERE WET AND CONTAMINATED WITH PATCHY SNOW, AND ICE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.