ELKINS, WV, USA
N1348T
Cessna 421C
The pilot/owner and a flight instructor had flown in to pick-up passengers. The owner was not multiengine rated and was receiving instruction from the instructor. The airplane was fueled and two adults and three children were boarded about 1 hour later. The owner was the flying pilot in the left seat. The owner stated that the 4,500 foot long runway was covered with 2 1/2 to 3 inches of snow and slush. He further stated that during the takeoff roll, 'The snow was so bad we could not get off the ground...' The pilot estimated that he aborted the takeoff at 100 mph, the braking action was zero, and the airplane went off the end of the runway. According to a witness, the five passengers arrived with 'lots of heavy bags.' After the accident, the baggage was removed before it could be weighed. An estimated airplane takeoff weight of 7,856 pounds was computed without baggage, based upon weights from the airplane weight and balance form, the police report, and FAA records. According to the Pilot's Operating Handbook, the maximum takeoff weight was published at 7,560 pounds.
On December 28, 1997, about 1340 eastern standard time, a Cessna 421C, N1348T, was destroyed when it overran the runway during an aborted takeoff at the Elkins-Randolph County Airport (EKN), Elkins, West Virginia. The certificated private pilot/owner at the controls received minor injuries. The certificated flight instructor seated in the right seat, and five passengers, were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the personal flight that was destined for Orlando, Florida. An instrument flight rules flight plan had been filed for the flight conducted under 14 CFR Part 91. According to the pilot/owner, he and the flight instructor had flown to EKN from Orlando, Florida, and arrived about 1 hour prior to the accident takeoff. The airplane was "topped off" with fuel, and the passengers, two adults and three children, were boarded along with their baggage. The owner stated that he occupied the left seat and was the flying pilot. He also stated that the pilot in the right seat was the pilot-in-command (PIC) and "the instructor." The pilot/owner was not multiengine rated. After the airplane was loaded, the owner taxied the airplane to runway 32, and began the takeoff roll. He stated that during the takeoff roll, "The snow was so bad we could not get off the ground, there was about 2 inches on the runway and at the speed we were going, I'd say 100 mph, when we tried to shut it down, we could not stop and slid straight ahead and hit the ditch." In another statement the pilot/owner further stated, "On takeoff roll with 2 1/2 to 3 inches of snow and slush, we were unable to get airborne 2/3 off runway, decided to abort takeoff and found zero braking action on remainder of runway..." The PIC stated that during the takeoff roll, "It looked like we weren't accelerating adequately, we aborted the takeoff and could not stop on the runway. We just slid off the end of the runway to a stop." According to a witness who observed the takeoff, "I watched him taxi out to the runway and begin his takeoff...we were talking about the pilot not having enough airspeed, then we heard him remove his power from his engines and we knew he would have problems stopping..." According to another witness: "I watched the Cessna 421 begin his take-off roll. The nose wheel left the ground early, to what I thought was too high. The nose stayed up as the main gear left the ground, and then settled back and lifted off again. I watched this happen twice and became very concerned...We arrived very soon after they had come to a stop..." A letter requesting passenger statements was sent out; however, no reply was received as of March 22, 1999. When the airplane arrived at EKN, it was fueled with 159 gallons. In the NTSB Form 6120.1/2, the pilot listed the takeoff fuel to be 234 gallons, or full fuel. According to a witness at the airport, the five passengers arrived with "lots of heavy bags." After the accident, the baggage was removed before it could be weighed. An estimated airplane takeoff weight of 7,856 pounds was computed without baggage, based upon weights from the airplane weight and balance form, the police report, and FAA records. According to the Pilot's Operating Handbook, the maximum takeoff weight was published at 7,560 pounds.
The flight instructor's failure to identify an unsafe runway condition and his delay in aborting the takeoff. Contributing was the aircraft's maximum takeoff weight exceeded, and a snow-covered runway.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
Aviation Accidents App
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