- Date
- March 4, 2002, 09:45 local (16:45 UTC)
- Place
- Longmont, CO
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N24933Cessna 152
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report April 25, 2002
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 20020304003879A
- Case key
- 54298
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 NTSB’s determination of the probable cause, and any contributing factors.
The pilot's failure to maintain directional control of the aircraft during landing. Factors were a contaminated runway, which was icy and covered with snow, and a snow bank.
Analysis
The pilot was practicing touch-and-go landings. During the rollout, the aircraft contacted snow on the runway, and drifted left of the runway centerline, despite the pilot's corrective control inputs. The aircraft departed the north side of the runway, contacted a snow bank, and nosed over. There was a NOTAM-D in effect which reported 1/2 inch of packed snow over ice, braking action poor, for the time of the accident.
Factual narrative
On March 4, 2002, at 0945 mountain standard time, a Cessna 152, N24933, sustained substantial damage when it collided with a snow bank at Vance Brand Airport (2V2), in Longmont, Colorado. The student pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured. The aircraft is owned and operated by Air West Flight Center, Inc. of Longmont, Colorado, and was being operated as a visual flight rules (VFR) instructional flight under the provisions of Title 14 CFR Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the local flight.
The pilot reported that he was practicing touch-and-go landings on runway 29. He stated that the touch down and initial rollout were normal, but as the airplane decelerated it began to drift to the left of runway centerline. The pilot attempted to correct the situation with rudder inputs; however, the airplane continued to track to the left. The airplane departed the left side of the runway, collided with a three-foot snow bank, and nosed over. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the firewall and empennage.
At 0945 the Aviation Routine Weather Report (METAR) at Jeffco Airport (KBJC), located 16 nautical miles south of the accident site reported winds from 280 degrees at 10 knots, 80 statue miles visibility, scattered clouds at 20,000 feet, temperature 4 degrees Celsius, dew point minus 12 degrees Celsius, and an altimeter setting of 30.12 inches.
There was a Notice to Airmen (NOTAM-D) in effect for Vance Brand Airport between March 1, 2002 at 1147 and March 4, 2002 at 1223, for 1 /2 inch of packed snow over ice and braking action poor.
The pilot reported on the NTSB Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report Form no mechanical malfunctions or failures at the time of the accident.
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.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N24933
- Reported as
- Cessna 152
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 15280457
- Engine
- Lycoming O-235-L2C, 110 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Air West Flight Center Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal; Standard, Utility
- Departed
- 2V2 · Longmont, CO
- Destination
- Longmont, CO
- Airport
- 2V2 · Longmont, Vance Brand, runway 29, 4,800 × 75 ft, concrete
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
- Student pilot
- Age
- 31
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Student
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 35 total · 31 in this make and model · 2 as pilot in command · 15 in the last 90 days · 11 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 280° at 10 knots
- Visibility
- 80 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 36 °F, dew point 10 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.12 inHg
- Observed at
- KBJC, 16 nm away
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on April 1, 2002, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 361 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.