No fatalities

30 Mar 2016: BEECH C23 NO SERIES — MAINE INSTRUMENT FLIGHT — Frenchville, ME

Frenchville, ME, United States

On 30 Mar 2016, a BEECH C23 NO SERIES operated by MAINE INSTRUMENT FLIGHT was involved in an aviation accident near Frenchville, ME. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during the takeoff roll on a runway contaminated with ice and snow, which resulted in a runway excursion and an impact with a snowbank. This summary draws on records from NTSB; 13 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

SourcesNTSBPrimary reportUpdated 1778583330Data APIEditorial standards

During takeoff from a runway with visible ice and snow, a pilot experienced a loss of directional control, causing the airplane to depart the runway and strike a snowbank, resulting in substantial damage.

Incident Overview

A pilot reported that after landing an airplane on a runway covered with visible ice and snow, no issues were observed with braking or steering. However, during the subsequent takeoff roll with full power applied, the airplane began sliding to the left. Despite applying right rudder to correct the slide, the pilot stated that the left main landing gear became trapped in an area of ice. The airplane then departed the left side of the runway and impacted a snowbank.

Damage Assessment

The collision with the snowbank caused substantial damage to one engine mount and to the fuselage. The pilot verified that there were no preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation.

Runway Condition Context

The Federal Aviation Administration's Aeronautical Information Manual (2014) defines a contaminated runway as one where standing water, ice, snow, slush, frost in any form, heavy rubber, or other substances are present. The runway in this incident had visible ice and snow, meeting that definition.

Contributing factors

PilotDirectional control — Not attained/maintainedEffect on operation