- Date
- February 5, 2008, 13:20 local (19:20 UTC)
- Place
- Ankeny, IA
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N120SCSwearingen SA-226AT
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 31, 2008
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Adminstration - Des Moines FSDO
- FAA report
- 20080205010279A
- Case key
- 67677
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 failure to maintain directional control during the takeoff roll. Contributing to the accident was the snow on the runway and the snowbank.
Findings · 3
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 it was snowing during his preflight activities and takeoff roll. A snowplow operator stated that he had cleared approximately four passes on either side of the runway centerline when the accident airplane taxied onto the runway. The pilot back-taxied on the departure runway to determine how much snow covered the runway. During the subsequent takeoff roll, at approximately 80 knots, the left main landing gear encountered some deeper snow that caused the airplane to swerve left off of the runway centerline. The pilot attempted to correct the left swerve with right rudder input, but the airplane continued off the left side of the runway. The airplane was substantially damaged when its nose landing gear impacted a snowbank.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that it was snowing during his preflight activities and takeoff roll. A snowplow operator stated that he had cleared approximately four passes on either side of the runway centerline when the accident airplane taxied onto the runway. The pilot back-taxied on the departure runway to determine how much snow covered the runway. During the subsequent takeoff roll, at approximately 80 knots, the left main landing gear encountered some deeper snow that caused the airplane to swerve left off of the runway centerline. The pilot attempted to correct the left swerve with right rudder input, but the airplane continued off the left side of the runway. The airplane was substantially damaged when its nose landing gear impacted a snowbank.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N120SC
- Reported as
- Swearingen SA-226AT
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- AT067
- Airframe hours
- 21,600
- Engines
- Honeywell TPE-331-10UA, turbo propHoneywell TPE-331-10UA, 840 horsepower, turbo prop
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Part 135
- Registered owner
- McNeely Charter Service, Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- AAIP · February 1, 2008
- Departed
- IKV · Ankeny, IA
- Destination
- OPF · Miami, FL
- Flight plan
- IFR
- Airport
- IKV · Ankeny Regional Airport, runway 36, 5,500 × 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
- 54
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Commercial, Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- November 1, 2007
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 13,340 total · 4,500 in this make and model · 12,850 as pilot in command · 131 in the last 90 days · 57 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Wind
- 30° at 7 knots
- Visibility
- 0.75 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 500 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 30 °F, dew point 28 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.90 inHg
- Observed at
- IKV
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N120SC · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.