Cessna 172N N734KU

Summary

On 25 January 2008 at about 23:00 local time, a Cessna 172N registered N734KU was involved in an accident near Beaver Marsh, Oregon, United States. 3 people were on board and one had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

25 January 2008 at 23:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Beaver Marsh, Oregon, United States

Nearest airport

Beaver Marsh State Airport (2S2)

Coordinates

43.1289, -121.8178

Aircraft

Cessna 172N

Registration

N734KU

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Hillsboro → Beaver Marsh

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

LAX08CA053

1 person had minor injuries.

The pilot's inadequate in-flight planning/decision to land on a snow covered runway without first determining the depth of the snow.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

As the pilot neared the airport, he decided to land as the passengers needed to use the airport's facilities. Using several visual clues, including some nearby vegetation, he estimated that the runway had a layer of snow on the surface several inches in depth. The airplane touched down on the snow covered runway and the airplane suddenly stopped, nosing over inverted. Once on the ground, the pilot found that the snow was in actuality over 1-foot deep. He reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airframe or engine.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.