Swearingen SA-26AT N30TF

Summary

On 16 February 2003 at about 23:23 local time, a Swearingen SA-26AT registered N30TF was involved in an accident near Cahokia, Illinois, United States. One person was 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

16 February 2003 at 23:23

Classification

Accident

Location

Cahokia, Illinois, United States

Nearest airport

St. Louis Downtown Airport (CPS)

Coordinates

38.5706, -90.1561

Aircraft

Swearingen SA-26AT

Registration

N30TF

Category

Airplane

Engines

2

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Indianapolis → Cahokia

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

IMC

Light

Dusk

NTSB number

CHI03LA077

Nobody was injured.

The pilot failed to maintain directional control of the airplane during landing. Factors associated with the accident were the snow covered runway, the crosswind, and the overload failure of the nose gear.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The nose gear separated from the airplane following a loss of directional control while landing. The pilot reported the automatic terminal information service (ATIS) was reporting the wind as being from 010 degrees at 14 knots, gusting to 21 knots. He reported that prior to landing, he was informed by the tower that the braking action was fair. The pilot reported that during the landing roll, at a speed of about 30 miles per hour, the airplane began drifting to the left. He stated that he attempted to correct the drift using nose wheel steering, right rudder, and right brake, to no avail. He reported the thick ice and snow on the left side of the runway pulled the airplane further to the left. The airplane departed the left side of the runway where it came to rest on its nose. The nose gear had separated from the airplane and according to the pilot, it was located approximately 20 feet behind the airplane. Friction testing on runway 30L performed approximately 46 minutes prior to the accident produced readings of 34%g, 36%g, and 33%g, on various sections of the runway. These readings equate to a medium braking action.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.