HUNTINGBURG, IN, USA
N4558S
Beech 58
The airplane landed 15 feet short of runway 09 following a go-around from an instrument approach. The pilot initiated a go-around when a snowplow entered the runway. The pilot reported that he made two position reports on the UNICOM frequency. The first report was 30 miles or 15 minutes from the airport and the second was 1 to 1-1/2 miles during the final approach. The driver of the snowplow reported only hearing the 15-minute call and heard a second transmission while the airplane was flying over him. The pilot stated that the airplane 'mushed' when power was reduced in an attempt to land on the 'numbers'. The pilot had the trailing edge flaps retracted. The pilot also stated that the windshield deice was working while en route but was not functioning during the approach. Approximately 1/2 of the windshield was contaminated by ice. A notice to airman indicated that braking action was poor with 0.25 inches of snow.
On December 18, 2000, at 1815 eastern standard time, a Beech 58, N4558S, piloted by a commercial pilot, landed short of runway 09 (5,000 feet by 75 feet, snow/grooved asphalt) at the Huntingburg Airport (HNB), Huntingburg, Indiana. Night instrument meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight was operating on an instrument flight rules flight plan. The pilot, two passengers and dog received no injuries. The flight departed from the Page Field Airport, Fort Myers, Florida, at 1325, en route to HNB. The pilot reported the following in a written statement: "The flight was a normal IFR flight. VFR through Georgia. Mid Tenn. instrument flight. Started picking up light rime. Talked with flight watch. Got update weather - some light rime. Asked for lower. Got above freezing. Boots [and] deice equipment working fine. Upon descending picked up more ice - boots, props fine. Windshield froze up right side. Alcohol windshield worked on pilot side - did not take off right window. [Talked] with Evansville [approach] told to expect VOR 9 Huntingburg. Talked with Huntingburg told them we were about 15 [minutes] out. Flew VOR 9 [approach] to Huntingburg. Broke out over Holland [Indiana]. Had the airport [at] 5 miles clear [and] cold [at] 1500 feet. Started picking up a little precip. No problem. Up on arr airport I was about 1 1/2 started to call in. Saw movement on taxiway. At 1/2 mile out tractor with snow plow pulled out on [runway] - I started a missed [approach] t/w Evansville [approach] told them I could do a go around. (Circle to land). At about 12-1300 feet pick up more ice on windshield. I still had good vision. But [finding] the alcohol bottles would not work. I set up on final. Had the runway made and decreased power and touched down 15 feet short of center line. Wheels landed on wet ground [and] caught the edge of runway. Mains broke off. Flew down the runway landed. Skid down [runway] and off the side. Shut [aircraft] down - everyone exited their door. No injuries." "There are several things I could have done... 1. I could have stayed in Florida... 2. I could have gone to Evansville with a tower and ILS. 3. When the tractor pulled out I should have done a full missed approach, and not let myself get rushed, with the windshield and vision. 4. I should have carried more power instead of trying to land for a long roll out. I was trying to use as much runway for the roll out as ...the braking action was only fair. 5. This was my decision and it was not the best decision. ..." The pilot reported that ice had accumulated on the windshield of the airplane when the airplane's windshield deice system stopped functioning during approach to the airport. He stated that the windshield's viewable area was 1/3, maybe 1/2, of the windshield. He stated that the airplane "mushed" on his second landing attempt when he decreased power so as to land on the "numbers". He stated that he was landing with the flaps retracted at an approach speed of 110 knots and did not go below "blue line". HNB was served by four nonprecision instrument approaches, which include the VOR runway 9 approach. Runway 09 was equipped with a precision approach path indicator, medium intensity runway edge lights and runway end identifier lights. The UNICOM frequency was the common traffic advisory frequency for the airport. The Airman Information Manual states under, Unicom Communications Procedures, "(d) Report approximately 10 miles from the airport, reporting altitude, and state your aircraft type, aircraft identification, location relative to the airport, state whether landing or overflight, and request wind information and runway in use. (e) Report on downwind, base, and final approach." The driver of the snowplow stated that he made a "swipe" on the runway when he heard a "15-minute call" from an aircraft. At this point, he was at the end of the runway when he pulled onto the taxiway. The driver stated that he did not hear any additional radio transmissions while holding short of the runway. He contacted the terminal to confirm that there were no additional radio transmissions prior to his taxiing onto the runway. Personnel within the terminal reported that they had not heard any additional radio transmissions. He stated that prior to taxiing onto the runway, he did not see any traffic when he "glanced", but did not "look", for traffic on approach for runway 09. He did not make any radio transmissions when he taxied onto the runway. While on the runway, he heard an aircraft fly overhead and a radio transmission saying, "get that thing off the runway". According to the airport manager, all the vehicles are equipped with two-way radios and lights. The strobe lights on the snowplow where on during plowing. At 1540 a notices to airman (NOTAM) was issued for 1/4 inch snow and poor braking action. At 1831 a second NOTAM was issued for closure of the airport.
The proper touchdown point not obtained/maintained by the pilot. Factors were the snow covered runway, the ice contaminated windshield, and the airport snow removal performed by the driver of the vehicle.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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