MARLBORO, MA, USA
N8419J
VARGA 2150A
SNOW HAD FALLEN ON THE EVENING BEFORE THE ACCIDENT. THE RUNWAY WAS COVERED WITH ONE INCH OF SNOW WHICH HAD NOT BEEN PLOWED OR TREATED. ALSO, THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE HAD REMOVED SNOW AND FROST FROM THE AIRFRAME DURING HIS PREFLIGHT. HE SAID THAT THE LEADING EDGES OF THE WINGS WERE FROST FREE AND HE SMOOTHED THE ICE AND FROST REMAINING ON THE WINGS WITH HIS FINGERNAILS AND A HAIRBRUSH. HE ESTIMATED THAT ICE ADHERED TO FIVE PERCENT OF THE WING AND ELEVATOR SURFACES, MOST OF IT IN THE MIDDLE PORTIONS OF THE SURFACES. THE PASSENGER ESTIMATED SMOOTHED ICE ON LESS THAN TEN PERCENT OF THE SURFACES. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT THE PLANE DID NOT SEEM TO ACCELERATE AS QUICKLY AS NORMAL, BUT LIFTED OFF AT ABOUT 3/4 OF THE RUNWAY LENGTH. HE SAID THE PLANE WAS NOT ACCELERATING AFTER LIFT-OFF SO HE LOWERED THE NOSE. WHEN THIS DID NOT IMPROVE HIS AIRSPEED, HE ABORTED THE TAKEOFF. THE PLANE WAS DAMAGED BY BRUSH DURING THE LANDING.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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