- Date
- January 25, 2008, 15:00 local (23:00 UTC)
- Place
- Beaver Marsh, OR
- Injuries
- 1 minor, 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N734KUCessna 172N
- Defining event
- Landing-flare/touchdown: Airport occurrence
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 31, 2008
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20080125000379A
- Case key
- 67460
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 inadequate in-flight planning/decision to land on a snow covered runway without first determining the depth of the snow.
Findings · 2
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
As the pilot neared the airport, he decided to land as the passengers needed to use the airport's facilities. Using several visual clues, including some nearby vegetation, he estimated that the runway had a layer of snow on the surface several inches in depth. The airplane touched down on the snow covered runway and the airplane suddenly stopped, nosing over inverted. Once on the ground, the pilot found that the snow was in actuality over 1-foot deep. He reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airframe or engine.
Factual narrative
In a written statement and telephone conversations with a National Transportation Safety Board investigator, the pilot reported that as he entered the vicinity of the destination airport, he decided to land as the passengers needed to use the airport's facilities. Using the visual clues of sprigs of grass, he determined that the runway had a layer of snow on the surface several inches in depth. After making a stabilized approach he touched down in the snow and the airplane suddenly stopped, nosing over inverted. After egressing the airplane, the pilot noted that the snow was in actuality over 1-foot deep.
The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airframe or engine. He stated that because he could not confirm the snow cover, he should not have attempted to land at that airport. The wing spar sustained damage during the accident sequence.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N734KU
- Reported as
- Cessna 172N
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17268921
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360-A4M, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Twin Oaks Airpark, Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Utility; Standard, Normal
- Departed
- 7S3 · Hillsboro, OR
- Destination
- 2S2 · Beaver Marsh, OR
- Airport
- 2S2 · Beaver Marsh State Airport, runway 18, 4,500 × 60 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
- 41
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2
- Flight hours
- 537 total · 248 in this make and model · 60 in the last 90 days · 3 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Visibility
- 30 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 30 °F
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 N734KU · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.