What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On January 23, 2017 N216CS departed the left side of the runway during takeoff from runway 21 in Durango, CO. This was a result of the PIC failing to maintain control of the aircraft during the takeoff roll on the contaminated runway.
Prior to the incident the PIC reported landing at the airport in snowy weather conditions and that it continued to snow while the aircraft was offloaded and loaded again. The PIC also noted that there were snow plows out plowing the runway. The PIC completed all the necessary preflight action and taxied to runway 21 after being deiced. They held short of runway 21 awaiting arriving airline traffic.
After the airline traffic cleared the runway the PIC received their IFR release from denver center and taxied onto the runway. The PIC also noted that the arriving airline traffic had told him to be careful because the runway was slick. The PIC noted a crosswind of approximately 250 at 10 knots.
During the departure roll the PIC stated that as the aircraft reached about 80 knots he was having difficulty maintaining runway centerline due to increasing winds. The PIC failed to abort as he felt he could keep the aircraft on the runway. Just prior to reaching rotation speed the PIC stated that he realized they were heading off the side of the runway and he reduced the power to idle.
As the aircraft departed the runway the nose gear collapsed. This caused damage to the landing gear, aircraft nose, and propellers as the aircraft slid to a stop. Once the aircraft came to rest the PIC shutoff the fuel, pulled the fire handles for both engines, and shut off all power and evacuated the aircraft.
As the FAA filed it
ON JANUARY 23, 2017 N216CS DEPARTED THE LEFT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY DURING TAKEOFF FROM RUNWAY 21 IN DURANGO, CO. THIS WAS A RESULT OF THE PIC FAILING TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT DURING THE TAKEOFF ROLL ON THE CONTAMINATED RUNWAY.
PRIOR TO THE INCIDENT THE PIC REPORTED LANDING AT THE AIRPORT IN SNOWY WEATHER CONDITIONS AND THAT IT CONTINUED TO SNOW WHILE THE AIRCRAFT WAS OFFLOADED AND LOADED AGAIN. THE PIC ALSO NOTED THAT THERE WERE SNOW PLOWS OUT PLOWING THE RUNWAY. THE PIC COMPLETED ALL THE NECESSARY PREFLIGHT ACTION AND TAXIED TO RUNWAY 21 AFTER BEING DEICED. THEY HELD SHORT OF RUNWAY 21 AWAITING ARRIVING AIRLINE TRAFFIC.
AFTER THE AIRLINE TRAFFIC CLEARED THE RUNWAY THE PIC RECEIVED THEIR IFR RELEASE FROM DENVER CENTER AND TAXIED ONTO THE RUNWAY. THE PIC ALSO NOTED THAT THE ARRIVING AIRLINE TRAFFIC HAD TOLD HIM TO BE CAREFUL BECAUSE THE RUNWAY WAS SLICK. THE PIC NOTED A CROSSWIND OF APPROXIMATELY 250 AT 10 KNOTS.
DURING THE DEPARTURE ROLL THE PIC STATED THAT AS THE AIRCRAFT REACHED ABOUT 80 KNOTS HE WAS HAVING DIFFICULTY MAINTAINING RUNWAY CENTERLINE DUE TO INCREASING WINDS. THE PIC FAILED TO ABORT AS HE FELT HE COULD KEEP THE AIRCRAFT ON THE RUNWAY. JUST PRIOR TO REACHING ROTATION SPEED THE PIC STATED THAT HE REALIZED THEY WERE HEADING OFF THE SIDE OF THE RUNWAY AND HE REDUCED THE POWER TO IDLE.
AS THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTED THE RUNWAY THE NOSE GEAR COLLAPSED. THIS CAUSED DAMAGE TO THE LANDING GEAR, AIRCRAFT NOSE, AND PROPELLERS AS THE AIRCRAFT SLID TO A STOP. ONCE THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST THE PIC SHUTOFF THE FUEL, PULLED THE FIRE HANDLES FOR BOTH ENGINES, AND SHUT OFF ALL POWER AND EVACUATED THE AIRCRAFT.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.
Other reports on N216CS · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.