Cessna 421 N581CJ

Summary

On 10 February 2019 at about 20:00 local time, a Cessna 421 registered N581CJ was involved in an accident near Woodruff, Wisconsin, United States. 3 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

10 February 2019 at 20:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Woodruff, Wisconsin, United States

Nearest airport

Lakeland/Noble F Lee Memorial (ARV)

Coordinates

45.9281, -89.7308

Aircraft

Cessna 421

Registration

N581CJ

Category

Airplane

Year built

1972

Engines

2

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Woodruff → St Louis

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

IMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

GAA19CA143

Nobody was injured.

The pilot's failure to maintain to directional control during takeoff from a snow-covered runway with a right, quartering tailwind, which resulted in a runway excursion and 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, during the takeoff roll on a plowed, snow-covered runway, he could "feel the [airplane] pulling to the right" and corrected with opposite rudder, but the airplane slowly exited the runway to the right and impacted a snowbank. The airplane sustained substantial damage to both propellers and the right engine mount. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The airport's automated weather observation station reported that, about 5 minutes before the accident, the wind was from 110° at 5 knots, 1 1/4 statute miles visibility, overcast at 900 ft, temperature 18°F, dew point 12°F, and light snow. The airplane departed from runway 36.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.