On December 14, 1992, a Piper PA-28-181 (registration N2131J) operated by Aviron Corp. was involved in an aviation accident near Danbury, CT. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's failure to maintain sufficient lateral clearance from snow banks on the taxiway while taxiing. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive; 4 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.
An aircraft sustained damage to its wings after striking snow banks on a taxiway. The clearance was noted as tight for low-wing models.
What happened
During the pre-flight phase of operations, the pilot taxied the aircraft toward the takeoff runway. While navigating the taxiway, the airplane encountered significant obstructions in the form of snow banks located on both sides of the paved surface. The wings of the low-wing aircraft made contact with these snow accumulations, resulting in damage to the airframe.
The investigation
Following the incident, an assessment was conducted regarding the conditions of the taxiway. A separate pilot who had utilized the same taxiway the night prior provided relevant context to Federal Aviation Administration officials. This individual operated a high-wing aircraft and noted that the clearance between the snow banks would be tight for a low-wing aircraft.
Probable cause
The pilot's failure to maintain sufficient lateral clearance from snow banks on the taxiway while taxiing.
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