# NTSB BFO95LA030: Piper PA-22-108, N5554Z, Belfast, ME, March 4, 1995 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: March 4, 1995, 15:50 local (20:50 UTC) - Place: Belfast, ME - Location: 44.4094° N, 69.0118° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs at BELFAST MUNI (BST), within about a mile (OpenAirDocs) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=44.4094&lon=-69.0118&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report October 19, 1995 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 9028 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=BFO95LA030 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/9028/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/BFO95LA030 ## Probable cause the student pilot's failure to adequately compensate for wind conditions. A related factor was the presence of high snowbanks along the sides of the runway. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - In flight collision with terrain/water, go-around (vfr) - terrain condition - snowbank (contributing factor) - compensation for wind conditions - inadequate, pilot in command (cause) ## Analysis THE STUDENT PILOT REPORT THAT WHILE ATTEMPTING TO LAND ON RUNWAY 15, THE AIRPLANE DRIFTED LEFT OF THE RUNWAY'S CENTERLINE. THE STUDENT PILOT DECIDED TO GO AROUND. DURING THE GO AROUND THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH A FOUR FOOT SNOWBANK WHICH RAN ALONG THE EDGE OF THE RUNWAY. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT THE WIND HAD BEEN OUT OF THE SOUTH AT ABOUT 8 KNOTS. HE STATED THAT THERE MUST HAVE BEEN A GUST OUT OF THE WEST. ## Factual narrative On Saturday, March 4, 1995, at 1550 eastern standard time, a Piper PA-22-108, N5554Z, collided with a snow bank during an attempted go around over runway 15 at the Belfast Municipal Airport near Belfast, Maine. The student pilot, the sole occupant, was uninjured. The airplane was substantially damaged. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident and a flight plan was not filed for the local flight. The solo instructional flight was conducted under 14 CFR Part 91. The student pilot reported that the airplane "...was on final and about to touchdown in middle of runway. All of a sudden I was close to the left side of the runway and realized I was having problems. I was concerned that my wing would catch the 4' [foot tall] snow drift (from plowing) so I decided to make a go around and try again. Either my wing tip or nose wheel caught the 4' [foot tall] snow pile and flipped me over." The student pilot estimated the winds at the time of the accident to be "...approximately 8 knots from the south." He wrote, "Must have had a gust from [the] west." The pilot also reported that there were four foot snow drifts running along both sides of the runway. The student pilot wrote under the Recommendation (How Could This Accident Have Been Prevented) section on his accident report, "It would not have happened if snow banks were not so high." ## Aircraft - Registration: [N5554Z](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N5554Z), registered now, S/N 22-9347, built 1962 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: PIPER PA-22-108 - Registry model: [Piper PA-22-108](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-22-108) (registry code 7102204) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-235 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-235-series) (registry code 41505, 4 cycle) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 22-9347 - Engines: LYCOMING O-235-C1B 108 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Registered owner: Paul E. Muir - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, June 1, 1994, 14 hours before - Departed: BST - Airport: BST, Belfast Municiple, runway 15, 4,000 × 100 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 52; student; medical: class 3, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: left; flight hours: 52 total, 13 in this make and model, 18 as pilot in command, 8 in the last 90 days, 3 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 210° at 12 knots - Visibility: 15 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 36 °F, dew point 25 °F - Altimeter: 30.00 inHg - Observed at: BGR, 26 nm away ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 19950304047309A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19950304047309A), Mar 4, 1995: Piper PA22108, Belfast, ME, Substantial damage. Drifted near four ft plowed snow on level off. Began go around, hit snowbank flipped over. Condition not for solo. 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. --- 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.