- Date
- March 23, 2012, 08:10 local (14:10 UTC)
- Place
- Conrad, MT
- Injuries
- 5 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N840JCRockwell International 690C
- Defining event
- Landing-landing roll: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report May 15, 2012
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Western Pacific Region
- Parties
- Helena FSDO
- FAA report
- 20120323004189A
- Case key
- 83205
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 did not maintain directional control of the airplane due to ice and slushy snow on the runway during the landing roll.
Findings · 3
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, who was executing a global positioning system approach to a non-controlled airport, saw a snowplow clearing snow from the runway as he broke out of the overcast in a light snow shower. Soon after the pilot spotted the snowplow, it exited the runway, and the pilot continued his approach/landing sequence. After touchdown, the airplane encountered an area of ice and slush on the runway and began to slide. The pilot stated that he should have initiated a go-around, but the airplane was never sufficiently realigned with the runway so he could safely apply go-around power. As the pilot continued his efforts to realign the airplane with the runway, the airplane departed the side of the runway and impacted a natural gas line warning sign. The impact with the sign resulted in a tear in the stressed skin of the fuselage that exceeded eight inches in length. The pilot did not report any mechanical malfunction during the accident sequence.
Factual narrative
The pilot, who was executing a Global Positioning System approach to a non-controlled airport with an unmonitored Common Traffic Advisory Frequency, saw a snowplow clearing snow from the runway as he broke out of the overcast in a light snow shower. Soon after the pilot spotted the snowplow, it exited the runway, and he continued his approach/landing sequence. After touchdown, the airplane began to slide when it encountered an area of ice and slush that still remained on the runway surface. Although the pilot decided he should initiate a go-around, he was never sufficiently realigned with the runway to feel that he could safely apply go-around power. As the pilot continued his efforts to realign the airplane, it departed the side of the runway, and prior to coming to a stop it impacted a natural gas line warning sign. The impact with the sign resulted in a tear in the stressed skin of the fuselage that exceeded eight inches in length. The pilot did not report any mechanical malfunction associated with the accident sequence.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N840JC
- Reported as
- Rockwell International 690C
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 11643
- Airframe hours
- 8,830
- Engines
- turbo propGarret TPE 331-10T, 715 horsepower, turbo prop
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Other work use · Part 91
- Operator
- Kalispell Regiional Medical Center
- Registered owner
- Eagle II LLC
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- January 20, 2012
- Departed
- KGPI · Kalispell, MT
- Destination
- S01 · Conrad, MT
- Flight plan
- IFR
- Airport
- S01 · Conrad Airport, runway 24, 4,601 × 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
- 54
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 4,900 total · 400 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Wind
- 350° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 2 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 1,500 ft broken
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on April 13, 2012, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 674 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.
Other investigations on N840JC · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.