On April 13, 1991, a Piper PA-18-125 (registration N1322A) operated by Erlend D. Laird was involved in an aviation accident near Ekalaka, MT. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: THE PILOT DID NOT MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE DURING THE LANDING ROLL. FACTORS TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE LANDING SURFACE WAS COVERED WITH SLUSH, SNOW WAS FALLING AND OBSCURED THE PILOT'S VISION. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
During a LOAL flight in light snow, the pilot chose to land on a slush-covered road instead of the snow-covered airstrip, lost directional control, veered into a ditch, and nosed over.
Incident Details
The accident occurred at the end of a LOAL flight. Weather conditions had deteriorated, with light snow falling at the time of the approach. The pilot observed that the intended airstrip was covered with snow and decided to land on a road running adjacent to the airstrip instead.
Sequence of Events
During the landing roll on the slush-covered road, the pilot lost directional control of the airplane. The aircraft veered off the road and collided with a ditch, subsequently nosing over. No further information on injuries, aircraft damage, or other specifics was provided in the source.
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