Cessna 340 N10MF

Summary

On 15 January 2014 at about 16:00 local time, a Cessna 340 registered N10MF, operated by Intertech Leasing Inc, was involved in an accident near Coldwater, Michigan, 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

15 January 2014 at 16:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Coldwater, Michigan, United States

Nearest airport

Branch County Memorial Airport (KOEB)

Coordinates

41.9356, -85.0475

Aircraft

Cessna 340

Registration

N10MF

Category

Airplane

Year built

1973

Engines

2

Operator

Intertech Leasing Inc

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Angola → Coldwater

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CEN14CA114

Nobody was injured.

Airport personnel did not remove the snow banks from the intersecting runway and/or close the intersection runway, which resulted in the airplane impacting the snow banks. Contributing to the accident was the reduced visibility inhibiting the pilot's ability to see the plowed snow hazard.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot departed on a short cross-country flight and arrived at his destination airport about 1100. The pilot stated that he overflew the airport and observed blowing snow on both runways. Because the wind was from 220 degrees, he elected to land on runway 22. During the roll-out, the airplane collided with plowed snow at the intersection of runway 07/25. The airplane's nose gear collapsed resulting in substantial damage to the airplane's fuselage. The pilot added that the snow banks should have been removed from the intersection and a NOTAM (notice to airmen) should have been published. A review of the Airport/Facilities Directory's (A/FD) note section for the airport had the notice: "Runway 07/25 plowed during winter months, contact the airport manager for conditions". At 1055, the automated weather reporting station at the airport reported the visibility at 3 miles in light snow, with the wind from 260 degrees at 11 knots. The weather station normally broadcasts the A/FD message about runway 07/25 being plowed during winter months; however, an electrical power interruption erased the message prior to the accident. With reduced visibility and blowing snow on the runways, it's likely that a pilot would not be able to see plowed snow banks at the intersection of runway 04/22 and 07/25.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.