- Date
- December 29, 2001, 01:55 local (09:55 UTC)
- Place
- Sunriver, OR
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N852ALPilatus PC-12
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Night/bright
- Status
- Completed · report June 3, 2002
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- FAA-FSDO
- FAA report
- 20011229035689A
- Case key
- 54027
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 landing roll. An icy runway and a snow bank were factors.
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
The pilot reported that he missed the first approach into the airstrip, however, he landed on the second attempt. After touchdown, the aircraft veered left despite the pilot's corrective control inputs, and collided with a snow bank 1/3 of the way down the runway. The pilot reported that the wind remained calm at the time of the accident. The runway surface was reported to be icy, and some runway lights were obscured by snow. There was no report of a mechanical failure or malfunction with the aircraft at the time.
Factual narrative
On December 29, 2001, at 0155 Pacific standard time, a Pilatus PC-12, N852AL, registered to St. Charles Medical Center, and operated by Air Methods as a 14 CFR Part 91 positioning flight, ran off the side of the runway during landing at Sunriver, Oregon, and collided with a snow bank. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the accident time. An instrument flight rules flight plan was filed and then cancelled before landing. The aircraft was substantially damaged and the airline transport pilot and his passenger were not injured. The flight originated from Portland, Oregon, at an unknown time.
The pilot reported in a written statement that he missed the first approach into Sunriver, however, during the second attempt, the aircraft landed. The pilot stated, "Upon touchdown the aircraft veered left without control input and I tried to counter right with rudder, aileron and brake but they were ineffective". The aircraft then collided with a snow bank about 1/3 of the way down the runway. The pilot further stated that the winds remained calm throughout the accident sequence.
A representative at the airport reported to the Federal Aviation Administration inspector from the Hillsboro, Oregon Flight Standards District Office that the runway surface was icy, and some of the runway lights were obscured by snow.
There was no report of a mechanical failure or malfunction with the aircraft at the time of the accident.
The aircraft was moved to a maintenance facility in Boise, Idaho, for repairs. On January 16, 2002, maintenance personnel completed the assessment of damage to the aircraft and reported to the NTSB that the aircraft was structurally damaged.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N852AL
- Reported as
- Pilatus PC-12
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 213
- Airframe hours
- 1,068.3
- Engine
- P&W PT6-67B, 1,200 lbs thrust, turbo prop
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Positioning · Part 91
- Operator
- Air Methods
- Registered owner
- St. Charles Medical Center
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- AAIP · December 25, 2001 · 4.5 hours before
- Departed
- PDX · Portland, OR
- Destination
- S21 · Sunriver
- Flight plan
- IFR
- Airport
- S21 · Sunriver, runway 18, 5,455 × 70 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
- 40
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Airline transport, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Last flight review
- October 24, 2001
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 4,936 total · 4,771 as pilot in command · 59 in the last 90 days · 37 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Night/bright
- Wind
- 310° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 0.2 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 100 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 23 °F, dew point 23 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.95 inHg
- Observed at
- RDM, 26 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.