Swearingen SA-226T N55ZP

Summary

On 19 December 2002 at about 01:10 local time, a Swearingen SA-226T registered N55ZP was involved in an accident near Soldotna, Alaska, United States. 4 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

19 December 2002 at 01:10

Classification

Accident

Location

Soldotna, Alaska, United States

Nearest airport

Soldotna (SXQ)

Coordinates

60.4667, -151.0167

Aircraft

Swearingen SA-226T

Registration

N55ZP

Category

Airplane

Engines

2

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Positioning

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Anchorage → Soldotna

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Night

NTSB number

ANC03LA019

Nobody was injured.

The flightcrew's selection of an unsuitable landing area, which resulted in a loss of directional control and an on ground encounter with terrain. A factor associated with the accident was a snow-covered, unplowed runway.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The two certificated airline transport pilots were positioning the airplane for a medical transport flight. The captain said that during his preflight weather briefing, the dispatcher informed him that there was a current Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) concerning 6 inches of loose snow on the runway at the destination airport. The dispatcher said that he had called the airport maintenance manager, at his home, in order to check on the current status of the runway. According to the dispatcher, the airport manager confirmed that there were 6 inches of snow on the runway, and stated that the runway would not be plowed until the next morning. The dispatcher reported to the captain that the airport maintenance manager said: "there were small planes going in and out of there all day, and that conditions were okay." According to the airport maintenance manager, he received a call from the operator's dispatcher, at home, requesting an updated report on the runway conditions. He said that he confirmed that there was still about 5-1/2 inches of snow on the runway, and that it would not be removed until early the next morning. He said that he told the dispatcher: "landing would be at your own risk." The captain said that just after touchdown, the airplane's main landing gear dug into the deep snow, and the airplane experienced a rapid deceleration. He said that the airplane tracked down the centerline on the runway for about 900 feet, but eventually veered to the left. The left propeller struck a runway edge light, and the airplane continued off the left side of the runway, down an embankment, and into an area of tree-covered terrain. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage. Both flight crewmembers noted that there were no preaccident mechanical anomalies with the airplane.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.