On November 26, 1982, a Cessna 152 (registration N24378) operated by Steve Graham was involved in an aviation accident near Afton, WY. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during landing due to frozen brakes and snow-covered runway conditions. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive; 8 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.
The pilot landed on a snow-covered runway where brakes were frozen, causing the aircraft to veer left off the pavement and nose over into a snow bank.
What happened
The pilot reported that he touched down on a runway covered with snow. Upon applying braking pressure, he discovered that the brakes were frozen, preventing effective deceleration. The aircraft subsequently hit bare pavement and veered to the left off the active surface. The landing gear dropped off the edge of the runway and became embedded in a snow bank, causing the aircraft to nose over.
An interview with the pilot revealed that prior to takeoff, he had taxied through and taken off from areas containing patches of slush. The aircraft was equipped with wheel pants, which may have contributed to ice accumulation on the braking system.
Probable cause
The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during landing due to frozen brakes and snow-covered runway conditions.
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