At about 15:40 eastern time, a Piper PA-46-350P was damaged during an aborted takeoff from Ross County Airport. The three occupants were not injured. The three boarded in a heavy snowstorm and the pilot taxied the aircraft to the end of runway 23. There, both pilots used their cell phones to call Flight Service. Due to a disconnected phone call, it took about 45 minutes to file the IFR flight plan and receive a clearance. During the subsequent run-up, the pilot noticed about three to four inches of slush on the runway and about – to -inch of slush on the top of the wings. The two pilots agreed the debris would blow off during the takeoff run and elected not to clean the wings manually. During the takeoff run, acceleration was poor and the airplane did not rotate normally. The pilot retarded the throttle and the airplane touched down, slid and turned, bending the landing gear, damaging the wingtips and wrinkling the fuselage.
Jan. 19, Chillicothe, Ohio / Piper Mirage
At about 15:40 eastern time, a Piper PA-46-350P was damaged during an aborted takeoff from Ross County Airport. The three occupants were not injured. The three boarded in a heavy snowstorm and the pilot taxied the aircraft to the end of runway 23. There, both pilots used their cell phones to call Flight Service. Due to a disconnected phone call, it took about 45 minutes to file the IFR flight plan and receive a clearance. During the subsequent run-up, the pilot noticed about three to four inches of slush on the runway and about - to -inch of slush on the top of the wings. The two pilots agreed the debris would blow off during the takeoff run and elected not to clean the wings manually. Dur...
Key Takeaways:
- A Piper PA-46 was damaged during an aborted takeoff in a heavy snowstorm at Ross County Airport, though the three occupants were uninjured.
- After a 45-minute delay filing their flight plan, the pilots elected to take off despite observing several inches of slush on the runway and wings, believing it would clear during acceleration.
- Poor acceleration during the takeoff run led the pilot to abort, causing the aircraft to slide, bend its landing gear, damage wingtips, and wrinkle the fuselage.
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