- Date
- January 3, 2003, 12:00 local (18:00 UTC)
- Place
- Alton, IL
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N2724RCessna 182S
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report April 23, 2003
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- FAA -- St. Louis FSDO
- FAA report
- 20030103003219A
- Case key
- 56292
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
Failure of the pilot-in-command to maintain directional control during the takeoff roll. Contributing factors were the wet, icy runway conditions and the presence of the snowbank.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The airplane was substantially damaged when it departed the runway surface and impacted a snowbank. The student pilot, on a solo flight, reported that he had completed one takeoff and landing, and was attempting to takeoff again when the accident occurred. He stated that he had applied full power, when the airplane "started veering to the left." The pilot noted that he was afraid of overcontrolling and did not apply brakes. "When I realized I was headed off of [the] runway, I pulled power and hit 15" high snow bank," the pilot reported. He also stated that the ATIS received prior to taxi reported braking action as "poor" on runway 35. The pilot noted that there were no failures or malfunctions associated with the airplane, either prior to, or at the time of, the accident.
Factual narrative
On January 3, 2003, approximately 1200 cst, a Cessna 182S (Skylane), N2724R, piloted by a student pilot, was substantially damaged when it departed the runway surface and impacted a snowbank at the St. Louis Regional Airport (ALN), Alton, Illinois. The pilot was practicing takeoffs and landings on runway 35 (6,500 feet x 100 feet, asphalt) and was attempting a takeoff when the accident occurred. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The solo-instructional flight was conducted under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91 and was not on a flight plan. The pilot reported no injuries.
In his written statement, the pilot noted that he was practicing takeoffs and landings in the local traffic pattern. He reported completing one takeoff and landing, and was attempting to takeoff again when the accident occurred. The pilot stated: "...after landing I straightened up and applied full power for takeoff .... Started veering to left and could not bring plane back to center. When I realized I was headed off of [the] runway, I pulled power and hit 15" high snow bank." He noted that he was afraid of overcontrolling and did not apply brakes. He estimated that the airplane's speed was 60 knots when it impacted the snowbank.
The pilot noted that the ALN automatic terminal information service (ATIS) received prior to requesting a taxi clearance reported the braking action on runway 35 as "poor". In his statement, the pilot reported the runway conditions as "ice, wet".
He reported no failures or malfunctions associated with the aircraft, either prior to, or at the time of the accident.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N2724R
- Reported as
- Cessna 182S
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 18280322
- Airframe hours
- 544
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-540-AB1A5, 230 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Registered owner
- R. J. T. Leasing, Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · November 26, 2002 · 52 hours before
- Departed
- ALN · Alton, IL
- Airport
- ALN · St Louis Regional, runway 35, 6,500 × 100 ft, asphalt
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
- 46
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Student
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 71 total · 28 in this make and model · 9 as pilot in command · 52 in the last 90 days · 20 in the last 30 days · 0 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 300° at 7 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 30 °F, dew point 19 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.15 inHg
- Observed at
- ALN
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on March 13, 2003, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 330 KB 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.