# Snow/slush/ice covered surface - Type: NTSB finding subsection - Path: [Environmental issues](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03) › [Physical environment](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/0302) › [Runway/land/takeoff/taxi surface](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/030230) › Snow/slush/ice covered surface - NTSB code: 03023015 - Cases: 219 - In the probable cause: 115 - Fatal cases: 0 - All cases: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03023015/cases.md - Cases with it in the probable cause: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03023015/cases.md?cause=1 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03023015 ## Cases per year (in the probable cause / all) - 2008: 16 / 22 - 2009: 8 / 12 - 2010: 9 / 17 - 2011: 2 / 15 - 2012: 2 / 17 - 2013: 3 / 13 - 2014: 7 / 10 - 2015: 2 / 4 - 2016: 6 / 10 - 2017: 9 / 13 - 2018: 4 / 9 - 2019: 10 / 15 - 2020: 11 / 13 - 2021: 5 / 12 - 2022: 4 / 12 - 2023: 5 / 10 - 2024: 3 / 4 - 2025: 3 / 4 - 2026: 6 / 7 ## Defining events in these cases - [Loss of control on ground](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230): 94 cases - [Nose over/nose down](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/096): 34 cases - [Runway excursion](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300): 19 cases - [Collision during takeoff/land](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/490): 14 cases - [Abnormal runway contact](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/090): 9 cases - [Landing area overshoot](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/380): 6 cases - [Sys/Comp malf/fail (non-power)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/330): 6 cases - [Miscellaneous/other](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/900): 5 cases - [Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470): 4 cases - [Wrong surface or wrong airport](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/284): 4 cases ## Aircraft models (registry) - [Piper PA-18-150](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-18-150): 7 cases - [Cessna A185F](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-a185f): 7 cases - [Cessna 172N](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172n): 7 cases - [Cessna 172S](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172s): 6 cases - [Piper PA-22-150](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-22-150): 5 cases - [Cessna 180](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-180): 5 cases - [Cessna 172M](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172m): 5 cases - [Piper PA-31-350](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-31-350): 4 cases - [Cessna 208B](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-208b): 4 cases - [Cessna U206G](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-u206g): 4 cases ## Other findings in the same cases - [Aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040) (Personnel issues): 97 cases - [Decision making/judgment](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520) (Personnel issues): 80 cases - [Directional control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020) (Aircraft): 70 cases - [Identification/recognition](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041510) (Personnel issues): 20 cases - [Crosswind](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034040) (Environmental issues): 13 cases - [Snow/ice](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022060) (Environmental issues): 12 cases - [Surface speed/braking](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062045) (Aircraft): 10 cases - [Flat light](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03036025) (Environmental issues): 9 cases - [Gusts](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034045) (Environmental issues): 9 cases - [Monitoring environment](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02021545) (Personnel issues): 8 cases ## Newest cases - [NTSB ANC26LA025](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC26LA025), Apr 9, 2026: Avid Avid Flyer (N394BJ), Anchorage, AK, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s failure to maintain directional control while maneuvering onto the runway for takeoff. Contributing to the accident was the presence of heavy, wet snow adjacent to the runway. - [NTSB ANC26LA023](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC26LA023), Mar 30, 2026: Wag Aero Sportsman (N212PX), Cordova, AK, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s decision to land on an unsuitable snow-covered runway and his failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll which resulted in a nose over. - [NTSB ANC26LA022](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC26LA022), Mar 28, 2026: Cessna A185F (N94237), Skwentna, AK, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s loss of directional control during landing roll due to contact with wind hardened snow berm and subsequent failure of main landing gear. - [NTSB WPR26LA106](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR26LA106), Feb 20, 2026: Cessna 120 (N72904), Kneeland, CA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s failure to maintain airplane control during landing roll on a snow-covered runway. - [NTSB ERA26LA102](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA26LA102), Jan 29, 2026: Cessna 172 (N969FG), New Castle, DE, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilots’ failure to properly identify the assigned runway during the landing approach, which resulted in the airplane landing on a closed, snow-covered runway. Contributing was the illumination of… - [NTSB ANC26LA011](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC26LA011), Jan 25, 2026: Cessna 150K (N6333G), Anchorage, AK, substantial damage. Probable cause: The flight instructor’s unintentional selection of the wrong, snow-covered landing surface, which resulted in a nose-over. - [NTSB DCA26LA102](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DCA26LA102), Jan 15, 2026: Boeing 737 (N583AS), Kodiak, AK, substantial damage. Probable cause: The reduced surface friction of the contaminated ramp which led to a loss of directional control during taxi. - [NTSB ANC26LA005](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC26LA005), Nov 17, 2025: Piper PA-31-350 (N4112D), Eek, AK, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s loss of directional control when the airplane encountered snow and ice on the runway while landing at night in gusting crosswind conditions. - [NTSB ANC25LA034](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC25LA034), Apr 12, 2025: Cessna 182B (N916GG), Girdwood, AK, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's decision to land on an unsuitable landing surface, which resulted in a nose-over. - [NTSB ANC25LA033](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC25LA033), Apr 9, 2025: Piper PA-18-150 (N57617), Bethel, AK, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's delayed decision to abort the takeoff when the airplane was not attaining sufficient airspeed for takeoff and subsequently departed the end of the lake and collided with terrain. 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.