Accident Cessna 207A N9720M, Friday 12 January 1990

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Date:	Friday 12 January 1990
Time:	12:15 LT
Type:	Cessna 207A
Owner/operator:	Iliamna Air Taxi
Registration:	N9720M
MSN:	20700720
Year of manufacture:	1981
Total airframe hrs:	3637 hours
Engine model:	Continental IO-520-F13
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 6
Other fatalities:	0
Aircraft damage:	Substantial
Category:	Accident
Location:	Nondalton, AK - United States of America
Phase:	Take off
Nature:	Unknown
Departure airport:
Destination airport:
Investigating agency:	NTSB
Confidence Rating:	Accident investigation report completed and information captured

Narrative:
OPER PSNL RPRTD THAT DURING THE TAKEOFF ROLL, THE PLT ENCTRD PARTIAL WHITEOUT CONDITIONS & HAD DIFFICULTY DEFINING THE EDGE OF THE RWY FROM ADJACENT SNOW BERMS. HE ABORTED THE TAKEOFF, BUT THE ACFT ENCTRD A SNOW BERM ON THE LEFT. IT THEN VEERED FURTHER LEFT & WAS DAMAGED. ORANGE MARKERS HAD BEEN PLACED AT THE RWY EDGES, BUT THEY WERE LOCATED ALONG THE OUTSIDE EDGES OF THE BERMS & WERE NOT CLEARLY VISIBLE TO THE PLT.

Probable Cause: IMPROPER PLANNING/DECISION BY THE PILOT. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: INADEQUATE POSITIONING OF THE TEMPORARY RUNWAY MARKERS, SNOW COVERED RUNWAY/TERRAIN CONDITIONS, PARTIAL WHITEOUT CONDITION, AND THE SNOW BERMS AT THE EDGES OF THE RUNWAY.

Accident investigation: