Piper PA-28-180 N15141

Summary

On 2 January 1993 at about 20:30 local time, a Piper PA-28-180 registered N15141, operated by Lawrence S. Levinson, was involved in an accident near Philipsburg, Pennsylvania, United States. 3 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

2 January 1993 at 20:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Philipsburg, Pennsylvania, United States

Nearest airport

Mid State (PSB)

Coordinates

40.8909, -78.2092

Aircraft

Piper PA-28-180

Registration

N15141

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Lawrence S. Levinson

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Instructional

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Unknown → Bellefonte

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

BFO93LA017

Nobody was injured.

THE INADEQUATE REMOVAL OF SNOW FROM THE RUNWAYS BY AIRPORT PERSONNEL AND THE PROCEDURES/DIRECTIVES FOR AIRPORT SNOW REMOVAL NOT UNDERSTOOD.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

DURING A TOUCH AND GO AT MID STATE AIRPORT, UPON TOUCH DOWN AND LOWERING OF THE AIRPLANE'S NOSE ON RUNWAY 24, THE STUDENT PILOT AND CFI NOTICED A SNOW BANK ACROSS THE RUNWAY AT THE INTERSECTION OF RUNWAY 16/34. THE CFI INSTRUCTED THE STUDENT TO TAKEOFF IMMEDIATELY. THE STUDENT APPLIED FULL TAKEOFF POWER, AND JUST AFTER LIFT OFF THEY HEARD A 'THUMP'. THE AIRPLANE'S LEFT MAIN GEAR IMPACTED THE SNOW BANK AND WAS TORN AWAY FROM THE AIRPLANE CAUSING SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE HORIZONTAL STABILIZER AND LEFT WING AND FLAP. THE STUDENT AND CFI CONTINUED THE TAKEOFF AND RETURNED TO THEIR BASE AIRPORT WHERE A FLY BY WAS ACCOMPLISHED AND A DAMAGE ASSESSMENT WAS ACCOMPLISHED BY GROUND PERSONNEL. THE CFI MADE AN EMERGENCY LANDING AND THE AIRPLANE OCCUPANTS EXITED THE AIRPLANE WITH NO REPORTED INJURIES. THE CFI STATED THAT THEY DID FLY OVER MID STATE AIRPORT PRIOR TO LANDING AND THAT THEY DID NOT SEE ANYTHING ON THE RUNWAY. THE MANAGER OF MID STATE AIRPORT REPORTED THAT THE PERSON WHO SNOW PLOWED RUNWAY 16/34 WAS NEW TO THE AIRPORT AND WAS NOT AWARE THAT THE OTHER RUNWAY WAS IN USE, HENCE, DID NOT REMOVE THE PLOWED SNOW FROM THE INTERSECTING RUNWAY. THERE WERE NO NOTICES TO AIRMEN PUBLISHED CONCERNING A CLOSURE OF RUNWAY 24.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.