On December 28, 1989, a Cessna 340 (registration N69556) was involved in an aviation accident near Merrill, WI. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN PROPER ALIGNMENT WITH THE RUNWAY DURING HIS LANDING ROLL AND AN INFLIGHT ENCOUNTER WITH ICING CONDITIONS. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
An airplane collided with a snowbank during landing after ice accumulation on the windshield eliminated forward visibility. The aircraft touched down left of centerline, drifted left, and the left main and nose landing gear failed.
Incident Overview
During an attempted landing, the accident airplane collided with a snowbank. According to the pilot, he encountered freezing rain after breaking out of the clouds at approximately 1000 feet AGL during his instrument approach to the airport. He stated that ice accumulated on the windshield faster than the deicers could remove it, forcing him to make his approach to the runway with no forward visibility.
Sequence of Events
The airplane touched down to the left of the centerline on the 75-foot wide runway. It then drifted left until the left main landing gear collided with a snowbank on the edge of the runway. The left main landing gear and the nose landing gear subsequently failed, and the airplane slid to a stop.