BIRCHWOOD, AK, USA
N714MS
CESSNA 150
THE PLT RPRTD THAT BEFORE HE STARTED HIS TAKEOFF, HE COULD SEE RWY LIGHTS AT THE FAR END OF THE RWY. HE ALIGNED THE ACFT FOR TAKEOFF BY REFERENCING THE SNOW BERMS (BESIDE THE RWY) & BY SIGHTING DOWN THE RWY. THE TAKEOFF ROLL SEEMED NORMAL UNTIL HE ROTATED THE ACFT FOR LIFT-OFF. AS THE ACFT LIFTED OFF, IT STRUCK THE SNOW BERM ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE RWY & NOSED OVER. AN INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT ARPT PSNL HAD PLOWED THE RIGHT BERM AT A 20 DEG ANGLE AWAY FROM CENTERLINE OF THE RWY TO A POINT WHERE IT WAS ALLOWED TO ANGLE BACK ABRUPTLY TOWARD THE RUNWAY. THE ACDNT OCCURRED WHERE THE RIGHT BERM ANGLED SHARPLY TO THE LEFT.
FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN PROPER RUNWAY ALIGNMENT DURING THE TAKEOFF ROLL. RELATED FACTORS WERE: DARK NIGHT, SNOW COVERED RUNWAY, INADEQUATE SNOW REMOVAL FROM THE RUNWAY BY PERSONNEL (WHO WERE RESPONSIBLE FOR SNOW REMOVAL), AND THE SNOWBANK (BERM).
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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