Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Summersville, West Virginia 26651
Thursday, December 7, 2006 13:05 EST

The pilot contacted an Automated Flight Service Station to obtain a weather briefing and file an instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan for 9,000 feet en route. The specialist advised the pilot that there was a weather front across his route of flight, and along the route, there were IFR conditions and moderate icing below 10,000 feet. The specialist also noted that later along the route, there would be another area of icing up to 22,000 feet. The pilot subsequently changed the en route altitude to 13,000 feet. About 1 hour, 20 minutes after departure, while the airplane was at 13,000 feet, and before reaching the area where the higher-altitude icing was predicted, the pilot reported "engine issues," and that he needed a "VFR airport." He then stated that he wanted to avoid ice, that he was not in icing, and that he was on top of the clouds. About 1 minute later, the pilot requested "lower right away" and was cleared to 7,000 feet. After the controller and pilot discussed available airports, the pilot stated that he thought he had "some ice in my engine." Several minutes later, the pilot stated that he needed a closer airport, and that he was "out of ice," but remained in instrument meteorological conditions. A few seconds after that, the pilot stated that he didn’t think he had any engine power. The controller attempted to vector the pilot to an airport, but eventually lost voice and radar contact. A farmer subsequently heard the airplane approach through a snow squall without power. The airplane then impacted hilly terrain, bounced, went through a fence, and burst into flames as it entered woods. Postaccident examinations indicated no engine power upon impact, and that the pilot had activated the manual alternate air control. No mechanical anomalies were noted with the airframe; however, impact forces and fire damage precluded a thorough examination of the fuel system and fuel supply. The engine was later successfully run in an engine test cell. Although the airplane encountered in-flight icing in an area and at an altitude where it wasn't predicted, the pilot's route of flight would have eventually made in-flight icing unavoidable. The airplane was not approved for known icing.

The airplane's encounter with in-flight icing, which resulted in a loss of engine power. Contributing to the accident were the pilot's improper weather evaluation, the in-flight icing conditions, the reduced visibility from a snow squall during the forced landing, and terrain unsuitable for a forced landing.