The pilot reported that on his second landing he felt a “small” impact just before touchdown, and then the Cessna 152 pitched down and skidded to a stop at the airport in Shirley, N.Y.
After the airplane came to a stop, he observed smoke coming from the lower left side of the cowling just forward of the firewall.
As a result of the post-impact fire that ensued, the airplane was destroyed.
The pilot reported that he observed evidence of where the airplane’s nose wheel hit a snow berm located on the approach to the runway. He estimated that the snow berm was about five feet high and about 20′ wide.
The airport manager reported that about four inches of snow accumulated on the ground prior to the accident, but that almost all of the snow had been plowed from the runway.
He further reported that the 152’s nose gear hit a snow berm that was about 10′ off the end of the runway, and about 28′ high.
Probable cause: The pilot’s failure to maintain adequate terrain clearance while landing, which resulted in a collision with a snow berm, nose gear collapse, and post-impact fire.
NTSB Identification: GAA16CA124
This February 2016 accident report is provided by the National Transportation Safety Board. Published as an educational tool, it is intended to help pilots learn from the misfortunes of others.
Well – I commend the commenters for reading the Gen Av News accident report. But the GenAv staff failed to proofread their work. The actual NTSB report lists the pile of snow at ten feet off the end and only twenty-eight inches high. The Gen Av typist changed that to read as ten feet and 28 FEET. So – I still leave this in the hand of the pilot…. managing to contact something prior to the runway environment. I actually like the fact that a student might be low and close to the threshold, and a snow pile will be difficult to see. It is a matter of being taught what kind of hazards can exist seasonally and regionally.
Prrofread. Proffread. Proofreed. It makes a difference. Cindy B
I want to lay the blame SQUARELY where I think it belongs. With the PILOT. I believe this little trick took place at Shirley, NY with two runways 4200’ or greater. Now with glare black ice that is wet on a 35° day that is also covered with grease and slick snot and a 20 knot tail wind I think the average pilot should be able to land a C150 in 2000’. The problem, that goes back to my first flying lesson in 1968 is CFI’s and other well meaning but mistaken folks is telling everyone, “the most worthless thing is runway behind you”. NOT in this case! The most worthless two things is a totaled airplane and 2000’ of runway in front of you. I admit there are .1% of 1% of time when you need that first brick but for the other 99.9% it is not wise. That’s why airlines DO NOT want their pilots to touch down before the “touch down zone”. All things being even an airplane receives less damage going off the departure end at 10K than it does clipping the pavement abutment at 70 or 100K at the approach end. Yes, I fly light airplanes, tail daggers, nose draggers singles and twins. I’m not the best pilot in the world, that is a friend of mine, I’m second best but I will not give you his name so that you can think that is you.?
You’re right. The runway behind you thing can be applied incorrectly and makes a lot more sense for takeoff’s than landings and even then is subject to runway length – i.e. on a 10,000 ft runway is an intersection departure unreasonable? Descending to avoid obstacles is the first priority. Aiming further down the runway if runway length allows will guard against landing short if there is a power failure.
I wish that people would read the NTSB reports before posting. There was a typo making 28″” into 28′.
Outside of that, I concur, why would one allow the plow crews push snow off the end of the runway? Aren’t there supposed to be a row of lights at the end of the runway, or is this a DAY VFR only airport?
I know, I know, the pilot is always at fault. However, I have to question the wisdom of allowing snow to be piled up into a bank 28 feet high 10 feet from the end of the runway. Typically, the plow crew that is hired is not dedicated just to the airport-they’re the folks who plow mall parking lots and people’s driveways-and aren’t pilots. But what airport manager [and I’ve been one] allows the plow crew to do that instead of instructing them to push the snow off the sides, leaving the approaches open?
“But what airport manager… allows the plow crew to do that instead of instructing them to push the snow off the sides, leaving the approaches open?”
I find it hard to believe that any airport manager would allow such a hazard to exist. That being said, it makes me wonder what sort of airport inspection process goes on here (if any)? Granted it doesn’t fall under as stringent guidelines as running a Part 139 airport, but I’d like to believe that there is some sort of follow-up checklist for snow and ice removal operations!!!