On January 15, 1999, a Cessna 421B (registration N882BB) operated by Hawkeye Charter Service, Inc was involved in an aviation accident near Youngstown, OH. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control. A factor was the icy runway. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
A pilot reported striking a hole with the left main landing gear during landing, causing the aircraft to veer left into a snowbank. The runway had poor braking action due to hard packed snow over thin ice.
Event Summary
A pilot reported that during landing, the aircraft struck a hole with the left main landing gear, causing it to veer off the left side of the runway into a snowbank.
Pilot Statement
The pilot stated he was aware of the poor braking action on the runway prior to landing.
Witness Observation
A witness reported observing the airplane in a steep angle of descent as it broke out of the clouds.
Runway Conditions
A Notice to Airman for the runway indicated it was covered with hard packed snow over thin ice, with braking action reported as poor.
Inspector Findings
A Federal Aviation Administration inspector was unable to locate the 'bump' the pilot reported. The inspector additionally noted that numerous tracks from emergency equipment were present on the runway.