WEST ADDISON, VT, USA
N3992U
CESSNA 150E
THE PILOT FLEW TO AN AIRPORT WITH A TURF RUNWAY, WITH WHICH HE WAS FAMILIAR. DUE TO DETERIORATING RUNWAY CONDITIONS FROM RECENT RAINS, THE LOCAL PILOTS WERE LANDING TO THE SIDE OF THE RUNWAY. THE PILOT WAS UNABLE TO ESTABLISH COMMUNICATIONS WITH UNICOM, AND MADE TWO LOW PASSES OVER THE RUNWAY TO VISUALLY CHECK THE SURFACE. HE CONTINUED WITH THE APPROACH AND LANDED, TO THE SIDE OF THE RUNWAY. DURING ROLL-OUT THE NOSE WHEEL ENCOUNTERED A SOFT AREA, AND DUG IN. THE AIRPLANE NOSED DOWN, AND CAME UP ON ITS NOSE, AND THEN FELL OFF ON THE RIGHT WING.
On August 8, 1995, at 1030 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 150E, N3992U, was substantially damaged during the landing roll at West Addison, Vermont. The private pilot was not injured. The personal flight originated in Shelbourne, Vermont, about 1015. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed for the flight which was conducted under 14 CFR Part 91. In the NTSB Accident Report, the pilot stated: Maintaining currency with soft-field landing and take offs, I flew from Plattsburgh to Shelburne and proceeded to West Addison, a field with which I was familiar. I was unable to get anyone to respond to radio communications at West Addison, but I carefully surveyed landing strip twice from the air, flying low along its entire length, once north, then south. I observed another plane near strip, wind sock & many people. I executed a soft-field landing, and landed normally. Taxiing along runway to a point at which I could exit, however, the nose wheel caught a muddy pothole.... The FAA reported that the runway at West Addison was 3,000 feet long, 100 feet wide, and had a turf surface, which was wet and muddy due to recent rains. Local pilots were aware of the runway condition, and landed to the side of the runway. The accident pilot was familiar with the airport, but not the condition of the landing surface. He elected to land on the side of the runway. Due to the more visible deterioration at the northern end of the field, the pilot landed from south to north, with a light tailwind. During ground roll, the nose wheel encountered a soft spot and dug into the landing surface. The airplane nosed down, fell on it's right wing, and bent the spar.
The pilot's selection of an unsuitable landing area. A factor is a soft landing area.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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