# Accident 20220129001049A: Straight Aviation LLC VANS RV 4, Hortonville, WI, January 29, 2022

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: January 29, 2022, 13:37 local time
- Place: Hortonville, WI
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Landing: Rollout
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 44.3315° N, 88.6332° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=44.3315&lon=-88.6332&mi=10
- Aircraft: N544WM, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N544WM) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Straight VANS RV 4 (registry code 05630QI, https://openairdocs.org/model/straight-vans-rv-4) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming O-320-E2D (registry code 42123, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-o-320-e2d) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: STRAIGHT AVIATION LLC VANS RV 4
- Reported engine: LYCOMING O-320-E2D
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Private pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 941 total, 378 in this make and model, 17 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CEN22LA112](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN22LA112) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20220129001049A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

HORTONVILLE, WI: N544WM, RV4, AFTER LANDING ON A SNOWPLOWED STRIP ON BLACK OTTER LAKE, AIRCRAFT STRUCK A SNOWBANK TO AVOID A TRUCK AT THE END OF THE STRIP. POB: 1, INJURIES: NONE, DAMAGE: EXTENT UNKNOWN. 01/29/2022 1940Z

AFTER TOUCHDOWN, THE PILOT NOTICED A VEHICLE PARKED AT THE END OF THE PLOWED LANE. AFTER SLOWING TO APPROXIMATELY 30 MILES PER HOUR, THE PILOT WAS UNSURE OF THE BRAKING ACTION ON WHAT HE DESCRIBED AS GLARE ICE. TO AVOID A COLLISION WITH THE VEHICLE, THE PILOT STEERED TO THE RIGHT AND INTO AN ACCUMULATION OF SNOW. THE RIGHT LANDING GEAR WHEEL WAS SLOWED BY CONTACT WITH THE ICE AND SNOW, BENDING THE LANDING GEAR STRUT AFT. THE AIRCRAFT TIPPED FORWARD AND THE PROPELLER CONTACTED THE ICE, SPLINTERING ONE BLADE. THE PILOT EXITED THE AIRCRAFT WITHOUT INJURY.

THE PILOT STATED THAT THE SNOW ADJACENT TO THE PAVED LANE WAS DEEPER THAN ANTICIPATED AND CONTAINED AN UNDERLAYMENT OF ICE. DAMAGE TO THE RIGHT LANDING GEAR STRUT AND PROPELLER RESULTED WHEN THE AIRCRAFT ENCOUNTERED THE SNOW AND ICE DEPOSITED BY THE PLOWING OPERATIONS. DAMAGE TO THE RIGHT LOWER ENGINE MOUNT WAS NOTED AT THE ATTACHMENT TO THE RIGHT LANDING GEAR STRUT, AS REPORTED BY THE AIRCRAFT ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^PILOT.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB CEN22LA112](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN22LA112), Jan 29, 2022: Vans RV4 (N544WM), Hortonville, WI, substantial damage. Probable cause: The loss of direction control while maneuvering off the plowed surface to avoid a collision with a vehicle.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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