- Date
- January 21, 2007, 14:05 local (21:05 UTC)
- Place
- Craig, CO
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N88JESmith, Ted Aerostar 601P
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 26, 2007
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 20070121000469A
- Case key
- 65236
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 improper in-flight planning and unsuitable area selected for landing. A contributing factor was the snow covered terrain and runway.
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
According to the pilot, he had been informed by an individual located at the airport that the runway had been plowed. However, the runway had not been plowed, and there was approximately two inches of snow on the runway surface. Due to "bright whiteout conditions" surrounding the airport, the pilot reported that there was "no visible contrast to any roads or runways on the airport." During the approach, the pilot observed two ridges of snow approximately 50 feet apart, which he assumed to be the runway. Subsequently, the pilot landed the airplane in the snow adjacent to the runway. Upon touchdown, the nose and right main gear collapsed. Examination of the airplane revealed the forward pressure bulkhead was damaged, and the right aileron was buckled.
Factual narrative
According to the pilot, he had been informed by an individual located at the airport that the runway had been plowed. However, the runway had not been plowed, and there was approximately two inches of snow on the runway surface. Due to "bright whiteout conditions" surrounding the airport, the pilot reported that there was "no visible contrast to any roads or runways on the airport." During the approach, the pilot observed two ridges of snow approximately 50 feet apart, which he assumed to be the runway. Subsequently, the pilot landed the airplane in the snow adjacent to the runway. Upon touchdown, the nose and right main gear collapsed. The pilot, who was the sole occupant, was not injured. Examination of the airplane revealed the forward pressure bulkhead was damaged, and the right aileron was buckled.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N88JE
- Reported as
- Smith, Ted Aerostar 601P
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 61P0225029
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-540, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business · Part 91
- Operator
- Ed Widner
- Registered owner
- J G Management Systems
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- AJZ · Delta, CO
- Destination
- CAG · Craig, CO
- Flight plan
- IFR
- Airport
- CAG · Craig-Moffat Airport, runway 7, 5,600 × 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
- 69
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Commercial, Flight engineer, Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Single-engine sea, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3
- Flight hours
- 40,000 total · 1,500 in this make and model · 75 in the last 90 days · 30 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.