Beechcraft C23 N2397E

Summary

On 30 March 2016 at about 15:00 local time, a Beechcraft C23 registered N2397E, operated by Maine Instrument Flight, was involved in an accident near Frenchville, Maine, 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

30 March 2016 at 15:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Frenchville, Maine, United States

Nearest airport

Northern Aroostook Rgnl (FVE)

Coordinates

47.2856, -68.3128

Aircraft

Beechcraft C23

Registration

N2397E

Category

Airplane

Year built

1977

Engines

1

Operator

Maine Instrument Flight

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Frenchville → Sanford

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

GAA16CA191

Nobody was injured.

The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during the takeoff roll on a runway contaminated with ice and snow, which resulted in a runway excursion and an impact with a snowbank.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot reported that he landed the airplane on the runway with visible ice and snow, and noted no issues with the braking and steering capabilities of the airplane. He reported that during the subsequent takeoff roll with full power applied, the airplane started sliding to the left. He attempted to control the sliding with right rudder. During the acceleration, he reported the left main landing gear got trapped in area with ice and the airplane departed the runway to the left and impacted a snowbank. The airplane sustained substantial damage to an engine mount and to the fuselage.  The pilot verified that there were no preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation. The Federal Aviation Administration has published the Aeronautical Information Manual (2014). This manual provides the definition of a contaminated runway and states in part: A runway is considered contaminated whenever standing water, ice, snow, slush, frost in any form, heavy rubber, or other substances are present.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.