What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On February 28th, 2023 the CFI (PIC) was on a night cross country flight from krst to kmcw to return to the home airport in privacy data omitted (PA-28). There was a student at the controls in the left seat and a second student observing from the back seat. The CFI received a weather briefing for the evening at approximately 1550 central time. The same set of individuals had arrived at krst at approximately 1655 central time from kmcw. The CFI and students had dinner and returned to krst. They departed at 1858 for kmcw. Prior to departure to kmcw, the CFI checked the TAF and radar to make a go/no-go decision. Approximately 15 miles into the direct flight to kmcw, they entered an area of moderate snow with restricted visibility. The CFI took controls from the student and turned on the autopilot. Shortly after, the aircraft gave an airspeed error annunciation. The airspeed was indicating 29 knots. The CFI pitched down to increase speed and the airspeed dropped to zero. The CFI recognized this as a blocked pitot tube and activated the pitot heat even though it was placarded as inoperative. Airspeed returned during the descent. The CFI noted that kaum was very close to them and diverted there. The AWOS at kaum was 1 sm visibility, 6,000’ overcast and 2°c. during the investigation, it was found that the actual weather was reporting winds 130@5, 1 sm visibility, snow and 500' ceilings. Two approaches were attempted to runway 35 at kaum. The first one was too high and a go-around was executed. The second one was stabilized. Immediately upon touchdown the aircraft slid and struck a snow bank. The aircraft turned 180° and came to rest facing south. Additionally, the CFI stated that he had never landed on a contaminated runway and he estimated ¼ to ½ inch of snow was on the runway. This aircraft is equipped with rudder pedals without brakes. The only brake was a hand brake/parking brake.
As the FAA filed it
ON FEBRUARY 28TH, 2023 THE CFI (PIC) WAS ON A NIGHT CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT FROM KRST TO KMCW TO RETURN TO THE HOME AIRPORT IN ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ (PA-28). THERE WAS A STUDENT AT THE CONTROLS IN THE LEFT SEAT AND A SECOND STUDENT OBSERVING FROM THE BACK SEAT. THE CFI RECEIVED A WEATHER BRIEFING FOR THE EVENING AT APPROXIMATELY 1550 CENTRAL TIME. THE SAME SET OF INDIVIDUALS HAD ARRIVED AT KRST AT APPROXIMATELY 1655 CENTRAL TIME FROM KMCW. THE CFI AND STUDENTS HAD DINNER AND RETURNED TO KRST. THEY DEPARTED AT 1858 FOR KMCW. PRIOR TO DEPARTURE TO KMCW, THE CFI CHECKED THE TAF AND RADAR TO MAKE A GO/NO-GO DECISION. APPROXIMATELY 15 MILES INTO THE DIRECT FLIGHT TO KMCW, THEY ENTERED AN AREA OF MODERATE SNOW WITH RESTRICTED VISIBILITY. THE CFI TOOK CONTROLS FROM THE STUDENT AND TURNED ON THE AUTOPILOT. SHORTLY AFTER, THE AIRCRAFT GAVE AN AIRSPEED ERROR ANNUNCIATION. THE AIRSPEED WAS INDICATING 29 KNOTS. THE CFI PITCHED DOWN TO INCREASE SPEED AND THE AIRSPEED DROPPED TO ZERO. THE CFI RECOGNIZED THIS AS A BLOCKED PITOT TUBE AND ACTIVATED THE PITOT HEAT EVEN THOUGH IT WAS PLACARDED AS INOPERATIVE. AIRSPEED RETURNED DURING THE DESCENT. THE CFI NOTED THAT KAUM WAS VERY CLOSE TO THEM AND DIVERTED THERE. THE AWOS AT KAUM WAS 1 SM VISIBILITY, 6,000’ OVERCAST AND 2°C. DURING THE INVESTIGATION, IT WAS FOUND THAT THE ACTUAL WEATHER WAS REPORTING WINDS 130@5, 1 SM VISIBILITY, SNOW AND 500' CEILINGS. TWO APPROACHES WERE ATTEMPTED TO RUNWAY 35 AT KAUM. THE FIRST ONE WAS TOO HIGH AND A GO-AROUND WAS EXECUTED. THE SECOND ONE WAS STABILIZED. IMMEDIATELY UPON TOUCHDOWN THE AIRCRAFT SLID AND STRUCK A SNOW BANK. THE AIRCRAFT TURNED 180° AND CAME TO REST FACING SOUTH. ADDITIONALLY, THE CFI STATED THAT HE HAD NEVER LANDED ON A CONTAMINATED RUNWAY AND HE ESTIMATED ¼ TO ½ INCH OF SNOW WAS ON THE RUNWAY. THIS AIRCRAFT IS EQUIPPED WITH RUDDER PEDALS WITHOUT BRAKES. THE ONLY BRAKE WAS A HAND BRAKE/PARKING BRAKE.
Other reports on N5263W · 3
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.