What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On 5 February 2026, at 1546(z) the FAA received a preliminary notice regarding an incident involving a C172 landing and veering off runway 32 into a snowbank after landing, 1 person on board, injuries none. Federal aviation administration (FAA) personnel arrived at the incident scene at Fitchburg airport, (fit) Fitchburg, Massachusetts at 1414PM local time on 5 February to review the incident area and discuss the incident with key personnel.
The aircraft was located on the ramp, being towed there after coordination with the airport manager. A cursory examination of aircraft by the inspector-in-charge (iic) was conducted at this time and showed the engine lower left- hand cowl to have a shallow dent and crease, probably from a snowbank impact. No other obvious damage was noted at this time.
The aircraft had landed on runway 32, and parallel skid marks were noted on runway, with the left-hand skid mark intermittent, leading to and terminating where the aircraft had come to a rest at the incident site on the LH of the runway, at approximatly 300 degree heading, just northwest of the 1000’ marker.
Maintenance log entries reviewed at the time of the investigation did not reveal any irregularities. Maintenance entry and statements of personnel who inspected the aircraft post-incident did not find any abnormalities with associated systems.
The pilot stated that there were no issues noted on the pre-flight walk around or previous flight. The pilot also stated that upon landing, “the aircraft started to go to the left, they applied rudder first, then gradual brakes, pulled power and applied brakes harder, skidding to a stop”.
Reported METAR weather at the time of the occurrence was kfit 051552Z auto 29008KT 10SM clr M03/M12 A3003 rmk AO2 SLP174 T10331117
As the FAA filed it
ON 5 FEBRUARY 2026, AT 1546(Z) THE FAA RECEIVED A PRELIMINARY NOTICE REGARDING AN INCIDENT INVOLVING A C172 LANDING AND VEERING OFF RUNWAY 32 INTO A SNOWBANK AFTER LANDING, 1 PERSON ON BOARD, INJURIES NONE. FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION (FAA) PERSONNEL ARRIVED AT THE INCIDENT SCENE AT FITCHBURG AIRPORT, (FIT) FITCHBURG, MASSACHUSETTS AT 1414PM LOCAL TIME ON 5 FEBRUARY TO REVIEW THE INCIDENT AREA AND DISCUSS THE INCIDENT WITH KEY PERSONNEL.
THE AIRCRAFT WAS LOCATED ON THE RAMP, BEING TOWED THERE AFTER COORDINATION WITH THE AIRPORT MANAGER. A CURSORY EXAMINATION OF AIRCRAFT BY THE INSPECTOR-IN-CHARGE (IIC) WAS CONDUCTED AT THIS TIME AND SHOWED THE ENGINE LOWER LEFT- HAND COWL TO HAVE A SHALLOW DENT AND CREASE, PROBABLY FROM A SNOWBANK IMPACT. NO OTHER OBVIOUS DAMAGE WAS NOTED AT THIS TIME.
THE AIRCRAFT HAD LANDED ON RUNWAY 32, AND PARALLEL SKID MARKS WERE NOTED ON RUNWAY, WITH THE LEFT-HAND SKID MARK INTERMITTENT, LEADING TO AND TERMINATING WHERE THE AIRCRAFT HAD COME TO A REST AT THE INCIDENT SITE ON THE LH OF THE RUNWAY, AT APPROXIMATLY 300 DEGREE HEADING, JUST NORTHWEST OF THE 1000’ MARKER.
MAINTENANCE LOG ENTRIES REVIEWED AT THE TIME OF THE INVESTIGATION DID NOT REVEAL ANY IRREGULARITIES. MAINTENANCE ENTRY AND STATEMENTS OF PERSONNEL WHO INSPECTED THE AIRCRAFT POST-INCIDENT DID NOT FIND ANY ABNORMALITIES WITH ASSOCIATED SYSTEMS.
THE PILOT STATED THAT THERE WERE NO ISSUES NOTED ON THE PRE-FLIGHT WALK AROUND OR PREVIOUS FLIGHT. THE PILOT ALSO STATED THAT UPON LANDING, “THE AIRCRAFT STARTED TO GO TO THE LEFT, THEY APPLIED RUDDER FIRST, THEN GRADUAL BRAKES, PULLED POWER AND APPLIED BRAKES HARDER, SKIDDING TO A STOP”.
REPORTED METAR WEATHER AT THE TIME OF THE OCCURRENCE WAS KFIT 051552Z AUTO 29008KT 10SM CLR M03/M12 A3003 RMK AO2 SLP174 T10331117