# Snowy/icy terrain - Type: NTSB finding subsection - Path: [Environmental issues](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03) › [Physical environment](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/0302) › [Terrain](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/030210) › Snowy/icy terrain - NTSB code: 03021030 - Cases: 77 - In the probable cause: 26 - Fatal cases: 2 - All cases: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03021030/cases.md - Cases with it in the probable cause: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03021030/cases.md?cause=1 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03021030 ## Cases per year (in the probable cause / all) - 2008: 15 / 26 - 2009: 1 / 6 - 2010: 0 / 4 - 2011: 1 / 3 - 2012: 0 / 4 - 2013: 0 / 6 - 2014: 0 / 4 - 2015: 1 / 2 - 2016: 2 / 4 - 2017: 1 / 6 - 2018: 0 / 2 - 2019: 2 / 4 - 2021: 1 / 1 - 2022: 1 / 1 - 2023: 0 / 2 - 2025: 1 / 1 - 2026: 0 / 1 ## Defining events in these cases - [Loss of control on ground](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230): 22 cases - [Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341): 6 cases - [Controlled flight into terr/obj (CFIT)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/120): 6 cases - [Loss of visual reference](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/402): 5 cases - [Landing area undershoot](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/370): 4 cases - [Sys/Comp malf/fail (non-power)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/330): 4 cases - [Loss of engine power (partial)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/342): 3 cases - [Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240): 3 cases - [Fuel exhaustion](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/192): 3 cases - [Nose over/nose down](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/096): 3 cases ## Aircraft models (registry) - [Cessna 170B](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-170b): 4 cases - [Eurocopter AS 350 B2](https://openairdocs.org/model/eurocopter-as-350-b2): 2 cases - [Cessna A185E](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-a185e): 2 cases - [Cessna 180](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-180): 2 cases - [Cessna 172S](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172s): 2 cases - [Swearingen SA-226AT](https://openairdocs.org/model/swearingen-sa-226at): 1 cases - [Luscombe 8E](https://openairdocs.org/model/luscombe-8e): 1 cases - [Luscombe 8A](https://openairdocs.org/model/luscombe-8a): 1 cases - [Schweizer 269C-1](https://openairdocs.org/model/schweizer-269c-1): 1 cases - [Robinson Helicopter R44 II](https://openairdocs.org/model/robinson-helicopter-r44-ii): 1 cases ## Other findings in the same cases - [Aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040) (Personnel issues): 25 cases - [Directional control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020) (Aircraft): 23 cases - [Decision making/judgment](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520) (Personnel issues): 18 cases - [Altitude](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062012) (Aircraft): 9 cases - [Not determined, general](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000) (Not determined): 8 cases - [Flat light](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03036025) (Environmental issues): 8 cases - [Descent/approach/glide path](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062040) (Aircraft): 8 cases - [Crosswind](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034040) (Environmental issues): 7 cases - [Snow/slush/ice covered surface](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03023015) (Environmental issues): 7 cases - [Whiteout](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03035060) (Environmental issues): 6 cases ## Newest cases - [NTSB WPR26LA095](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR26LA095), Jan 29, 2026: American Champion 8KCAB (N59SE), Alpine, WY, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s inadvertent descent while operating in flat light conditions which resulted in controlled flight into terrain. - [NTSB ANC25LA092](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC25LA092), Aug 22, 2025: Eurocopter AS 350 B2 (N149TH), Juneau, AK, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s failure to maintain adequate obstacle clearance during takeoff from uneven, snow-covered terrain in flat light conditions. - [NTSB ANC23LA036](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC23LA036), May 17, 2023: Piper PA31 (N34WM), Point Thomson, AK, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s inadvertent descent below the published minimum descent altitude, while operating in flat light conditions, which resulted in controlled flight into terrain. - [NTSB WPR23LA126](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR23LA126), Mar 11, 2023: Trendak Taurus (N553AT), Strawberry Reservoir, UT, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s failure to maintain clearance from the snow-covered lake while flying at a low altitude. - [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. - [NTSB CEN21LA189](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN21LA189), Jan 12, 2021: Beech P35 (N436T), Poplar Grove, IL, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's distraction and his failure to maintain a proper glidepath on the approach, which resulted in him landing short of the runway and impacting a snowbank. - [NTSB GAA19CA214](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA19CA214), Apr 14, 2019: Cessna 180 (N4796B), Limington, ME, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during touchdown, which resulted in runway excursion onto snow. - [NTSB GAA19CA154](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA19CA154), Feb 28, 2019: Denney Kitfox MDL Classiciv (N111YT), Floodwood, MN, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's loss of lateral control while landing in gusting crosswind conditions, which resulted in a nose-over. - [NTSB GAA19CA120](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA19CA120), Jan 29, 2019: Emmet Smith Roadrunner (N949TS), Truckee, CA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during landing. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s improper decision to allow the airplane to exit the runway onto a snow-covered field,… - [NTSB CEN19CA062](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN19CA062), Jan 19, 2019: Piper PA 18 (N3298Z), Iron Mountain, MI, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's distraction and subsequent loss of situational awareness and visual horizon in overcast sky conditions, which led to an unrecognized descent during a low-level maneuver and subsequent… NTSB has coded findings and defining events since 2008; earlier cases used its older occurrence and cause codes and aren't counted. Findings: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings.md. Defining events: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events.md. Phases of flight: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases.md. Every investigation, filtered by finding, event, phase, state, year or model: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb.md (for example ?state=MI&fatal=1). NTSB's definitions: Accident and incident, 49 CFR 830.2 (https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-49/subtitle-B/chapter-VIII/part-830/subpart-A/section-830.2), CICTT occurrence categories (PDF) (https://www.ntsb.gov/safety/data/Documents/datafiles/OccurrenceCategoryDefinitions.pdf), CICTT phases of flight (PDF) (https://www.ntsb.gov/safety/data/Documents/datafiles/PhaseofFlightDefinitions.pdf), and NTSB coding manual, before 2008 (PDF) (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). NTSB publishes no definitions for its findings, only their names. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.