On November 26, 1997, a Piper PA-32-300 (registration N2202U) was involved in an aviation accident near Johnstown, PA. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: the pilot's failure to maintain direction control of the airplane during the takeoff roll. Factors relating to this accident were: the crosswind condition, and snowbank. 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.
Aircraft registered N2202U. Photo: User: (WT-shared) Angieal24 at wts wikivoyage / Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
During takeoff on runway 23, the pilot reported a sudden leftward shove. The airplane exited the runway onto an intersecting taxiway and struck a snowbank that extended onto the runway.
Incident Description
During the takeoff roll on runway 23, the pilot reported feeling what he described as 'a hand shove the plane left.' The airplane subsequently departed the left side of the runway and entered an intersecting taxiway. While returning to the runway, the airplane impacted a snowbank located on the intersecting taxiway. This snowbank extended approximately 2 feet onto runway 23.
Environmental Conditions
A weather observation taken after the accident indicated the wind was from 260 degrees at 17 knots, with gusts to 24 knots.
Airport Inspection
The Airport Daily Inspection Report listed the condition of the airport surface areas and snowbanks as 'O.K.'
