Incident Overview
On December 2, 2010, at approximately 08:20 UTC, a Cessna 441 Conquest II experienced an accident during takeoff from Flugplatz Wiener Neustadt Ost (LOAN) in Austria. The aircraft was operated by a flight school and was preparing for a scheduled flight to Cagliari, Italy. The investigation was conducted by the Federal Safety Investigation Office under EU Regulation No. 996/2010.
Operational Context and Conditions
The pilot, a 50-year-old male with over 3,500 hours of experience, cleared the aircraft of snow and ice prior to departure. A flight plan was filed and accepted electronically. The available SNOWTAM reported ice on the runway, poor braking action (rated as 1), and snow banks along the edges of Runway 10/28. Weather conditions at the time included a temperature of -9°C, wind from 240 degrees at 3 knots, and visibility of 16 kilometers. The runway surface was covered in ice with a measured braking coefficient of 0.25 or lower.
Sequence of Events
The pilot and one passenger boarded the aircraft, which had a total mass of approximately 4,290 kg, well below its maximum takeoff weight of 4,611 kg. After taxiing to the holding point for Runway 28, the pilot received clearance and initiated the takeoff roll. During the initial acceleration phase, the aircraft briefly yawed to the left, which the pilot corrected. Immediately following this correction, the aircraft began to yaw sharply to the right. The pilot was unable to counteract this movement. At a speed of approximately 30 knots, the right propeller struck the snow bank on the right side of the runway.
Impact and Aftermath
The contact with the snow bank caused the aircraft to rotate abruptly approximately 90 degrees to the right relative to the runway centerline. The left propeller also made contact with the snow bank during this maneuver. The aircraft came to a stop roughly 8 meters to the right of Runway 28. Both the pilot and the passenger exited the aircraft without sustaining any injuries. Significant structural damage was reported on the airframe, while no other property damage or casualties were recorded.