- Date
- March 22, 2011, 20:30 local (Mar 23, 2011, 01:30 UTC)
- Place
- Aberdeen, SD
- Injuries
- 4 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N4057CCessna 414A
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Instrument (IMC) · Night/dark
- Status
- Completed · report July 18, 2011
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- FAA Rapid City FSDO
- FAA report
- 20110322004789A
- Case key
- 78799
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot's inadequate compensation for gusty crosswinds during takeoff, which resulted in a loss of directional control.
Findings · 5
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The pilot reported that there was snow and ice on the runway. During takeoff, a strong crosswind gust forced the airplane to veer off the left side of the runway and the airplane struck runway lights. The pilot managed to maneuver the airplane back on the runway and he shut down the engines. A postaccident inspection of the airplane revealed substantial damage as a result of a puncture in the pressure vessel of the airplane. The pilot reported that there was no preimpact mechanical malfunction or failure of the airplane.
Factual narrative
On March 22, 2011, at 2030 central daylight time, a Cessna 414A, N4057C, sustained substantial damage when it veered off the left side of runway 31 (6,901 feet by 100 feet, concrete) during its takeoff roll at the Aberdeen Regional Airport (ABR), Aberdeen, South Dakota, and struck runway lights. The captain, first officer, and two passengers were not injured. The airplane was registered to and operated by Aberdeen Flying Service as a 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 135 nonscheduled domestic passenger flight. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident, and the flight was on an instrument flight rules flight plan. The airplane was en route to the Joe Foss Field Airport (FSD), Sioux Falls, South Dakota. The pilot reported that there was snow and ice on the runway. He reported that a strong crosswind gust forced the airplane to veer off the left side of the runway where the airplane struck runway lights. The pilot managed to get the airplane back on the runway and he shut down the engines. The airplane was towed back to the hangar with the passengers on board. The postaccident inspection of the airplane revealed substantial damage as a result of a puncture in the pressure vessel of the airplane. The pilot reported that there was no mechanical malfunction or failure of the airplane. At 1953, the surface weather observation at ABR was: Wind 050 degrees at 14 knots; visibility 1 1/2 miles; overcast 400 feet; light snow; temperature 1 degrees Celsius; dew point 0 degrees Celsius; altimeter 29.59 inches of mercury.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4057C
- Reported as
- Cessna 414A
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 414A0848
- Airframe hours
- 7,316
- Engines
- Cont Motor TSIO-520 SER, 335 horsepower, reciprocatingCont Motor TSIO-520 SER, 335 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Part 135
- Operator
- Aberdeen Flying Service
- Registered owner
- Aberdeen Flying Service
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Continuous airworthiness · February 16, 2011
- Departed
- ABR · Aberdeen, SD
- Destination
- FSD · Sioux Falls, SD
- Flight plan
- IFR
- Airport
- ABR · Aberdeen Regional Airport, runway 31, 6,901 × 100 ft, concrete
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 25
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- December 19, 2010
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 2,136 total · 170 in this make and model · 1,900 as pilot in command · 125 in the last 90 days · 54 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Instrument (IMC) · Night/dark
- Wind
- 50° at 14 knots
- Visibility
- 2 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 400 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 34 °F, dew point 32 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.59 inHg
- Observed at
- ABR
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on April 20, 2011, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.3 MB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.