On March 28, 2002, a Piper PA-18 (registration N5408Y) operated by Charles S. Lee was involved in an aviation accident near Chickaloon, AK. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The inadequate supervision of the student pilot by the instructor. Factors associated with the accident are the snow-covered runway and the loss of directional control by the student pilot. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
During a training flight, a student lost directional control after landing on an icy portion of a snow-covered runway. The instructor intervened but could not prevent a collision with a windsock pole and a snow berm.
Incident Overview
A student training flight encountered difficulties during landing at an airport with snow-covered and plowed runway surfaces. The aircraft, carrying an instructor and a student, overflew the airport to identify a suitable landing area before touching down. The runway had patches of ice, areas of snow, and snow berms of varying heights adjacent to the runway.
Landing and Loss of Control
After the landing, the student lost directional control while crossing an icy portion of the runway. The instructor attempted to regain control but could not stop the skid. The left wing of the airplane struck a windsock pole, causing the aircraft to spin left. Subsequently, the right elevator struck a snow berm. The sequence of events involved ice patches on the runway and snow berms along its edges.