Piper PA-23-250 accident near West Dover, Vermont, January 29, 1993
On January 29, 1993 at about 2:35 am local time, a Piper PA-23-250, registered N40586, was substantially damaged in an accident near West Dover, Vermont (Mount Snow airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 5 people were on board or involved. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL DURING TAKEOFF, AND HIS INADEQUATE REMEDIAL ACTIONS, RESULTING IN A COLLISION WITH A SNOWBANK. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE THE ICE COVERED RUNWAY AND THE SNOWBANK ALONG THE RUNWAY EDGES.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 29, 1993 · about 2:35 am local time
- Place
- West Dover, Vermont · Mount Snow
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 5 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-23-250 · all PA-23-250s on the register
- Registration
- N40586 · registry record · serial 27-7405330
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT STARTED THE TAKEOFF ROLL ON THE ICY RUNWAY. HE SAID, 'AT APPROXIMATELY 70 KNOTS (AT ROTATION) THE AIRCRAFT STARTED TO DRIFT LEFT AND BOTH STEERING AND RUDDER WERE INEFFECTIVE IN STOPPING THE DRIFT. THE LEFT PROPELLER STRUCK THE ICE BANK.' THE AIRPLANE YAWED TO THE LEFT AND DEPARTED THE RUNWAY, COLLAPSING THE LANDING GEAR. THE WIND WAS APPROXIMATELY 45 DEGREES FROM THE RIGHT AT AN ESTIMATED 4 KNOTS. THE EDGES OF THE RUNWAY HAD SNOW BANKS APPROXIMATELY 2 FEET HIGH. AN EXAMINATION BY THE FAA OF THE AIRPLANE RUDDER AND BRAKING SYSTEMS FOUND NO DISCREPANCIES.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, flight engineer
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,000 hours in all; 300 in this make and model; 200 in the last 90 days; 90 in the last 30 days; 2,800 as pilot in command; 1,500 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,857 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 14, 1992; 30 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,200 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Aviation Block & Charter, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: 4V8 at 2:35 am
- Destination: FRG Farmingdale NY
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 19, 2,650 ft by 70 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 225° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 3 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded
- Temperature: 25°F (-4°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 4 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.