Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Emporia, Kansas 66801
Monday, March 20, 2006 6:40 CST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
Prior to departure, the pilot obtained a weather briefing from a flight service station. At the start of the briefing conversation, the briefer asked the pilot if he was going to take the "anti-icing" equipped airplane for the proposed flight. The pilot responded, "Hopefully." The briefer informed the pilot "there's all kinds of stuff going on out there today, looks like you're going to need [anti-icing equipped airplane]. The briefer told the pilot to expect ice, instrument flight rules (IFR) conditions, and turbulence along the intended route of flight. The briefer informed the pilot the weather consisted of rime ice, mix clouds, and precipitation, which included mist, snow, sleet, and rain. The briefer stated the current freezing level at the departure airport was 1,500 feet agl, to which the pilot stated, "Alright." The briefer inquired whether the pilot had an alternate airport, the pilot responded, "no." According to air traffic control communications, shortly after takeoff, the airplane climbed to 4,000 feet and the controller identified the airplane on radar. The pilot informed the controller the airplane was accumulating "very little ice", and he requested an altitude of 6,000 feet. The controller cleared the pilot to 6,000 feet, and shortly thereafter, the pilot requested an altitude of 3,000, because the airplane would not climb. The controller cleared the airplane to 3,200 feet, which was the minimum en route altitude for the area. The pilot then requested to divert to a nearby airport. The pilot requested the weather for the airport and stated he could hardly keep altitude because the airplane "had a lot of ice." The controller reported to the pilot that radar contact was lost below 3,200 feet, at which the pilot responded, "can't find the approach plates for [airport], hardly hold altitude at 3,200 feet, losing altitude." The controller then asked, "Are you picking up ice?" The pilot responded, "Lot of ice." The pilot inquired whether he could descend and the controller cleared the pilot to descend at his discretion. The controller asked the pilot if he could navigate an approach to the airport, and the pilot responded, "No sir, I'm going down." During an attempted forced landing, the airplane impacted a tree, and came to rest upright in a field approximately 4 miles southeast of the airport. In an interview after the accident, the pilot reported no anomalies with the airplane's deice equipment. The pilot stated it was somewhat difficult to see the extent of the ice accumulation because the flight occurred prior to sunrise. Examination of the airplane revealed no anomalies with the airframe, systems and engines.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
the pilot's attempted flight into adverse weather conditions and improper in-flight planning which resulted in loss of control and subsequent impact with trees. Contributing factors were the pilot's delayed remedial action, the icing and dark night conditions.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 3/20/2006 |
| Event Day of the Week | Monday |
| Time of Event | 640 |
| Event Time Zone | Central Standard Time |
| Event City | Emporia |
| Event State | KANSAS |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 66801 |
| Event Date Year | 2006 |
| Event Date Month | 3 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 381955N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0961128W |
| Event Location Airport | -- |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | -- |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | Off Airport/Airstrip |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | -- |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | -- |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Pilot |
| Time of the weather observation | |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | -- |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | -- |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | -- |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | -- |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | -- |
| Lighting Conditions | Night/Dark |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | -- |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | -- |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Unknown |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | Unknown |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | -- |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | -- |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | -- |
| Variable Wind Indicator | -- |
| Wind Speed (knots) | -- |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Unknown |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | -- |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| Event Highest Injury | Serious |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| Injury Total Fatal | -- |
| Injury Total Minor | -- |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | 1 |
| Injury Total All | 1 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 20157 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA-Central Region |
| NTSB Notification Date | Mar 20 2006 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | DMS |
| Date of most recent change to record | Aug 29 2006 3:49PM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\JOHB |
| Basic weather conditions | Instrument Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | Wichita, Kansas |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N331FC |
| NTSB Number | DEN06LA050 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | IFR |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | Yes |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Piper |
| Aircraft Model | PA-23-250 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 27-7554024 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 5200 |
| Aircraft Category | Airplane |
| Aircraft Registration Class | -- |
| Aircraft is a homebuilt? | No |
| Flight Crew Seats | -- |
| Cabin Crew Seats | -- |
| Passenger Seats | -- |
| Total number of seats on the aircraft | 6 |
| Number of Engines | 2 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Retractable |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | 100 Hour |
| Date of Last Inspection | Feb 1 2006 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 44 |
| Airframe Hours | 6224 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | Yes |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Delta Sales Company |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | Davenport |
| Aircraft Owner State | IA |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 52804 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | SAFEWING AVIATION COMPANY INC |
| Operator Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Street Address | -- |
| Operator City | Kansas City |
| Operator State | MO |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 64116 |
| Operator Code | DD5A |
| Owner has at least one certificate | None |
| Other Operator of large aircraft? | -- |
| Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation | -- |
| Operator Certificate Number | -- |
| Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not | Non-scheduled |
| Indicates Domestic or International Flight | Domestic |
| Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail | Cargo |
| Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) | -- |
| Second Pilot on Board | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | No |
| Departure Airport Code | MKC |
| Departure City | KANSAS CITY |
| Departure State | MO |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 605 |
| Departure Time Zone | CST |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | ICT |
| Destination City | WICHITA |
| Destination State | KS |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Descent - emergency |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jun 1 2006 11:53AM |
| User who most recently changed record | BOWL |
| Since inspection or accident | Time of Accident |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | NA |
| Runway Length | -- |
| Runway Width | -- |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |