# NTSB SEA96LA038: Beech B100, N924WS, Miles City, MT, January 4, 1996 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: January 4, 1996, 07:45 local (14:45 UTC) - Place: Miles City, MT - Coordinates: 46.220012, -105.599273 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=46.2200&lon=-105.5993&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 5 uninjured - Status: Completed, report June 6, 1996 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 42321 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=SEA96LA038 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/42321/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/SEA96LA038 ## Probable cause Failure of airport personnel to properly remove snow from the runway or issue an appropriate notam concerning the runway condition. Factors relating to the accident were: the low light condition at dawn, and the snowbank or berm that was left on the runway. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - On ground/water encounter with terrain/water, landing - roll - light condition - dawn (contributing factor) - airport facilities,runway/landing area condition - snowbank (contributing factor) - airport snow removal - inadequate, airport personnel (cause) - notams - not issued, airport personnel (cause) - Nose gear collapsed, landing - roll - landing gear,nose gear - overload ## Analysis The pilots obtained a complete weather briefing for their IFR flight. Before landing at their destination, they attempted to obtain an airport advisory on Unicom, but received no response. They landed on the runway in low visibility with the runway lights visible. After touchdown, the left main landing gear contacted a berm or snowbank on the left side of the plowed area, and the pilots were unable to maintain directional control. The aircraft drifted off the left side of the runway and came to rest on a reverse heading. The runway, which was 100 feet in width, had been plowed to about 45.5 feet width along the centerline. No notams had been filed concerning the partially plowed condition of the runway. The second officer (commercial pilot) noted that during the weather briefing, the pilot-in-comand had been advised of thin, loose snow on the runway. ## Factual narrative On January 4, 1996, approximately 0745 mountain standard time, a Beech B100, N924WS, sustained substantial damage when it contacted a snow berm during landing rollout at Miles City, Montana. The airline transport pilot, commercial pilot, and three passengers on board the aircraft were not injured. The flight, conducted under 14 CFR 135 with an IFR clearance, had originated at Billings, Montana, about 0655. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. There was no fire, and no report of the ELT actuating. The pilot-in-command was occupying the right seat of the airplane at the time of the accident. The left seat was occupied by the commercial pilot. The pilot-in-command stated that the aircraft struck an 18 inch snow berm along the left side of the plowed area of the runway with the left main landing gear. The aircraft was pulled left off the runway, and the nose landing gear sheared as the aircraft left the runway. The pilot stated that the left third of runway 2 was not plowed. According to police officers, 45.5 feet of the width of the runway had been plowed, with the debris collected in a berm on the left side of the plowed area. No notam had been filed concerning the partial plowing of the runway. The commercial pilot stated that during the weather briefing, the pilot-in- command had been advised of "'thin, loose snow' as a notam 'on the runway.'" A Miles City police officer went to the scene of the accident and measured the plowed portion of the runway and the distance the aircraft travelled off the plowed runway. His diagram and report are attached. The average height of the berm was 17 inches, on both sides of the plowed area. The plowed width of the area was 55 feet at the time he arrived, however, he stated that the snowplow operator had gone out on the runway after the accident and plowed an additional width of the runway. The police officer ascertained that the width of the plowed runway available to the pilots at the time of the accident was 45.5 feet. The aircraft travelled about 260 feet before coming to a rest. ## Aircraft - Registration: N924WS (not matched to a registry record) - Reported make and model: BEECH B100 - Category: Airplane - Serial number: BE63 - Airframe hours: 9449 - Engines: Garrett TPE-331 735 horsepower turbo prop - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Part 135 - Registered owner: West Star Aviation - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Continuous airworthiness, December 5, 1995, 34 hours before - Departed: BIL, BILLINGS, MT - Destination: MLS - Flight plan: IFR - Airport: MLS, Frank Wiley Field, runway 22, 5,580 × 100 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 47; flight instructor, airline transport; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: right; flight hours: 5,251 total, 125 in this make and model, 4,024 as pilot in command, 103 in the last 90 days, 32 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Instrument (IMC), Dawn - Wind: 350° at 6 knots - Visibility: 1 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 1,900 ft broken - Temperature: 7 °F, dew point 1 °F - Altimeter: 30.00 inHg - Observed at: MLS ## 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 19960104000059A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19960104000059A), Jan 4, 1996: Beech 100BEECH, Miles City, MT, Substantial damage. Struck a snow berm on landing roll. Collapsed nose gear. Runway not plowed. Full width at impact. No NOTAM issued. 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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.