SPRINGER, NM, USA
N61539
CESSNA 172M
A PRIVATE PILOT WAS ADVISED BY THE WEATHER BRIEFER THAT VFR FLIGHT WAS NOT RECOMMENDED ALONG HIS ROUTE OF FLIGHT DUE TO LOW VISIBILITIES AND SNOW SHOWERS. THE NON INSTRUMENT RATED PILOT ELECTED TO DEPART ON HIS CROSS COUNTRY FIGHT AND ENCOUNTERED THE PREVIOUSLY FORECASTED WEATHER ENROUTE. THE HEAVY SHOW SHOWERS CAUSED A BLOCKAGE OF THE AIR INDUCTION FILTER SCREEN. THE PILOT MANAGED TO FOLLOW AN INTERSTATE HIGHWAY AT LOW ALTITUDE UNTIL AN AIRPORT WAS FOUND. WHILE LANDING, THE RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR IMPACTED A LARGE SNOW DRIFT, CAUSING THE AIRPLANE TO DRIFT OFF THE RUNWAY AND FLIP OVER. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT DUE TO HIS LOW ALTITUDE AND DIMINISHING POWER, HE WAS UNABLE TO PROPERLY ALIGN THE AIRPLANE WITH THE RUNWAY BEFORE LANDING.
THE PILOT'S POOR JUDGEMENT IN ATTEMPTING FLIGHT INTO FORCASTED ADVERSE WEATHER, HIS DISREGARD FOR THE HAZARDOUS WEATHER ADVISORY RECEIVED WHICH RESULTED IN PARTIAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER AS A RESULT OF A BLOCKED INDUCTION SYSTEM DUE TO ICE AND SNOW, AND THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO PROPERLY ALIGN THE AIRCRAFT WITH THE RUNWAY.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
Aviation Accidents App
In-Depth Access to Aviation Accident Reports
