# NTSB CHI06CA044: Mendenhall Lancair 235, N290DM, Medina, OH, December 13, 2005 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: December 13, 2005, 14:15 local (19:15 UTC) - Place: Medina, OH - Coordinates: 41.131389, -81.764999 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=41.1314&lon=-81.7650&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report March 28, 2006 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration - Cleveland FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 63089 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CHI06CA044 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/63089/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI06CA044 ## Probable cause The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during landing due to an icy runway. Factors to the accident were the ice/snow contaminated runway surface, snow bank, and the pilot's lack of familiarity with the accident airplane. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of control - in flight, landing - flare/touchdown - lack of familiarity with aircraft, pilot in command (contributing factor) - directional control - not maintained, pilot in command (cause) - airport facilities,runway/landing area condition - snow covered (contributing factor) - airport facilities,runway/landing area condition - icy (contributing factor) - On ground/water encounter with terrain/water, landing - roll - terrain condition - snowbank (contributing factor) - Nose over, landing - roll ## Analysis During the landing roll the airplane impacted a snow bank situated alongside the runway and subsequently nosed over. The pilot reported that the runway was contaminated with snow and ice patches. The pilot stated that after touchdown the airplane "immediately began drifting toward the left side of the runway." The pilot reported that he attempted to correct for the drift using right rudder but "lost directional control" and departed off the left side of the runway. The pilot reported that he had 11 hours of flight experience in the airplane and the "runway conditions were much more than I was capable of handling with this aircraft." The accident airplane was equipped with a free-castering nose landing gear and directional control is maintained by differential braking when the rudder becomes ineffective at lower speeds. ## Factual narrative During landing roll the airplane impacted a snow bank situated alongside the runway and subsequently nosed over. The pilot reported that the runway was contaminated with snow and ice patches. The pilot stated that after touchdown the airplane "immediately began drifting toward the left side of the runway." The pilot reported that he attempted to correct for the drift using right rudder but "lost directional control" and departed off the left side of the runway. The pilot reported that he had 11 hours of flight experience in the airplane and the "runway conditions were much more than I was capable of handling with this aircraft." The accident airplane was equipped with a free-castering nose landing gear and directional control is maintained by differential braking when the rudder becomes ineffective at lower speeds. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N290DM](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N290DM), registered now, S/N 156 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Mendenhall Lancair 235 - Registry model: [Mendenhall Dave LANCAIR](https://openairdocs.org/model/mendenhall-dave-lancair) (registry code 05625M9) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-290 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-290-series) (registry code 41506, 4 cycle) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane, amateur-built - Serial number: 156 - Airframe hours: 277 - Engines: Lycoming O-290-D2 135 hp reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special) - Last inspection: Annual, November 1, 2005 - Departed: RYY, Atlanta, GA - Destination: 1G5, Medina, OH - Airport: 1G5, Medina Municipal Airport, runway 09, 3,556 × 75 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 37; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 3, without waivers/limitations; seat: left; flight hours: 350 total, 11 in this make and model, 309 as pilot in command, 17 in the last 90 days, 14 in the last 30 days, 3 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 140° at 4 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 21 °F - Altimeter: 30.23 inHg ## 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 20051213032129A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20051213032129A), Dec 13, 2005: Amtr LANCAIR, Medina, OH, Substantial damage. (-23) Aircraft skidded out of control after landing on runway 090 at Medina Municipal Airport (1G5). The runway was ice and snow covered. The aircraft tracked… 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.