# NTSB DEN84FA045: Convair 440, N73162, Rock Springs, WY, December 20, 1983

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Field investigation · Final report
- Date: December 19, 1983, 21:22 local (Dec 20, 1983, 04:22 UTC)
- Place: Rock Springs, WY
- Location: 41.5942° N, 109.0652° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs at SOUTHWEST WYOMING RGNL (RKS), within about a mile (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=41.5942&lon=-109.0652&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 33 uninjured
- Status: Completed
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 16188
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=DEN84FA045
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/16188/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN84FA045

## Sequence of events

In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf).

- Loss of control - on ground/water, landing - roll
  - light condition - dark night (contributing factor)
  - weather condition - low ceiling (contributing factor)
  - weather condition - snow (contributing factor)
  - weather condition - obscuration (contributing factor)
  - airport facilities,runway/landing area condition - snow covered (contributing factor)
  - airport snow removal - attempted, airport personnel
  - directional control - not maintained, pilot in command (cause)
  - ground loop/swerve - uncontrolled, pilot in command
- On ground/water encounter with terrain/water, landing - roll
  - terrain condition - snowbank (contributing factor)

## Analysis

COMBS AIRWAYS, FLT 709, COLLIDED WITH A SNOW BANK DURING THE LANDING ROLL AT SWEETWATER COUNTY APRT. THE CAPT REPORTED THAT 'IMMEDIATELY AFTER TOUCHDOWN, THE ACFT VEERED LEFT, STRUCK A SNOW BANK, THEN VEERED TO THE RIGHT 180 DEG COMING TO REST ON THE RWY FACING TO THE EAST.'  THE PROP & GEAR BOX SEPARATED FROM THE RIGHT ENG. AN INVESTIGATION REVEALED NO EVIDENCE OF A MALFUNCTION OR FAILURE PRIOR TO THE ACDNT. THE ARPT MANAGER REPORTED THAT SNOW SHOWERS & DRIFTING SNOW HAD ALMOST TOTALLY COVERED THE RWY MARKINGS, INCLUDING THE RWY CENTERLINE. SNOW PLOWING OPERATIONS HAD BEEN IN EFFECT ON THE DAY OF THE ACDNT. THE CENTER OF THE PLOWED AREA WAS SEVERAL FEET TO THE RIGHT OF THE RWY CENTERLINE. NUMEROUS FINGER DRIFTS WERE PRESENT FROM THE LEFT EDGE OF THE PLOWED AREA TO THE CENTER OF THE RWY. THERE WERE 2 FT SNOW BANKS ON EACH SIDE OF THE SNOW PLOWED AREA.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N73162](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N73162-1990-02-15), registration cancelled 1990-02-15, S/N 361 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CONVAIR 440
- Registry model: [Convair 440](https://openairdocs.org/model/convair-440) (registry code 2422902) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 361
- Airframe hours: 50736
- Engines: ALLISON 501-D13 4000 horsepower turbo prop
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Part 121
- Registered owner: Combs Airways
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Transport
- Last inspection: AAIP, November 11, 1983, 169 hours before
- Departed: DEN, DENVER, CO
- Destination: RKS, ROCK SPRINGS, WY
- Flight plan: IFR
- Airport: RKS, Sweetwater County, runway 27, 10,000 × 150 ft, asphalt

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 41; flight instructor, airline transport; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: left; flight hours: 10,010 total, 210 in this make and model, 200 in the last 90 days, 3 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Instrument (IMC), Night/dark
- Wind: 290° at 14 knots
- Lowest ceiling: 300 ft
- Temperature: 19 °F, dew point 19 °F
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observed at: RKS, 1 nm away

## 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 19831219064809A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19831219064809A), Dec 19, 1983: Cvac STCAPJC, Rock Springs, WY, Substantial damage. Directional control was lost during landing on snow covered runway. Aircraft ran off side into snowbank.

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.

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