- Date
- February 27, 2010, 11:40 local (16:40 UTC)
- Place
- Grove City, PA
- Injuries
- 3 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N1952ECessna 340A
- Defining event
- Landing-landing roll: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report August 12, 2010
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties
- FAA/FSDO
- FAA report
- 20100227039999A
- Case key
- 75766
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 after electing to land on a snow-covered runway.
Findings · 4
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 overflew the airport and noted what he believed to be a light coating of snow on the runway. After landing, the pilot realized that approximately 1 to 1 1/2 inches of snow was present on the surface of the runway and the airplane then began to slide to the right. It subsequently departed the right side of the runway, struck a snow bank, and spun 180 degrees. The airplane sustained substantial damage to its horizontal stabilizer. The airport was unattended at the time of the accident and there were no notices to airmen pertaining to the condition of the runway. The pilot reported that winds at the time of the accident were from 260 degrees at 10 to 15 knots.
Factual narrative
The pilot overflew the airport and noted what he believed to be a light coating of snow on runway 10-28, a 4,500-foot-long, 75-foot-wide, asphalt runway. After landing on runway 28, the pilot realized that approximately 1 to 1 1/2 inches of snow was present on the surface of the runway. The airplane began to slide to the right. It subsequently departed the right side of the runway, struck a snow bank, and spun 180 degrees. The airplane sustained substantial damage to its horizontal stabilizer. The airport was unattended at the time of the accident and there were no notices to airmen pertaining to the condition of the runway. The pilot reported about 1,210 hours of total flight experience, which included 21 hours in the same make and model as the accident airplane. He also reported that winds at the time of the accident were from 260 degrees at 10 to 15 knots.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N1952E
- Reported as
- Cessna 340A
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 340A0679
- Engines
- Cont Motor TSIO-520 SER, 300 horsepower, reciprocatingCont Motor TSIO-520 SER, 300 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- WPG Fasteners Inc.
- Registered owner
- WPG Fasteners Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · October 1, 2009
- Departed
- 29D · New Cumberland, PA
- Destination
- 29D · Grove City, PA
- Flight plan
- IFR
- Airport
- 29D · Grove City, runway 28, 4,500 × 75 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
- 42
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- October 26, 2009
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 1,209 total · 21 in this make and model · 930 as pilot in command · 27 in the last 90 days · 0 in the last 30 days · 0 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 290° at 13 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility
- 1 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 1,000 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 34 °F, dew point 81 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.62 inHg
- Observed at
- YNG, 24 nm away
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 10, 2010, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 566 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.