Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Atkins, Virginia 24311
Sunday, March 16, 2008 10:34 EDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
After receiving a weather briefing that indicated a probability of en route icing conditions, the pilot, who was not instrument rated, filed an instrument flight rules flight plan through those conditions. The airplane was not approved for known icing conditions. While en route, the pilot advised air traffic control that the airplane had encountered icing, and requested a lower altitude. The controller approved a descent to the lowest altitude permitted by terrain clearance requirements. After contacting the next en route controller, the pilot again noted icing, and again requested a lower altitude; however, the controller could not approve a further descent due to the same terrain clearance requirements, but authorized a turn. Subsequently, based upon information from another pilot, the controller advised the pilot that he could climb to try to exit the top of the clouds, which the pilot accepted. The airplane began a climb, but the pilot then radioed, "we're going down." When requested by the controller, the pilot confirmed that the airplane was again accumulating ice. Postcrash examination of the airplane revealed no mechanical anomalies, and its trajectory through the trees was consistent with a stall/spin.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot's improper decision to take off in conditions conducive to icing, and his inability to maintain control of the airplane during an in-flight accumulation of structural ice.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 3/16/2008 |
| Event Day of the Week | Sunday |
| Time of Event | 1034 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Daylight Time |
| Event City | Atkins |
| Event State | VIRGINIA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 24311 |
| Event Date Year | 2008 |
| Event Date Month | 3 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 365559N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0812254W |
| 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 | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1040 Eastern Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 170 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | MKJ |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 2558 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 5 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 1400 |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | -- |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | -- |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | Overcast |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 10 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 4 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | -- |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 300 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 9 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.15 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| Event Highest Injury | Fatal |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| Injury Total Fatal | 2 |
| Injury Total Minor | -- |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | 2 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 25911 |
| NTSB Notification Source | Eastern ROC |
| NTSB Notification Date | Mar 16 2008 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Nov 15 2011 10:16AM |
| User who most recently changed record | johb |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | Charleston |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | C-FRSK |
| NTSB Number | NYC08FA139 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | IFR |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | Yes |
| Damage | Destroyed |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | MOONEY |
| Aircraft Model | M20C |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 690098 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 2575 |
| Aircraft Category | Airplane |
| Aircraft Registration Class | -- |
| Aircraft is a homebuilt? | No |
| Flight Crew Seats | 1 |
| Cabin Crew Seats | -- |
| Passenger Seats | 3 |
| Total number of seats on the aircraft | 4 |
| Number of Engines | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Retractable |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | Sep 20 2007 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | 4249 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | Unknown |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | Unknown |
| ELT Type | Unknown |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Aries Technologies, Inc. |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 4895B Dunda Street West |
| Aircraft Owner City | Toronto |
| Aircraft Owner State | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Country | CA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | -- |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | A. Roy Sanwalka |
| Operator Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Street Address | 30 Sudbury Hall Drive |
| Operator City | Scarborough |
| Operator State | -- |
| Operator Country | CA |
| Operator Zip code | -- |
| Operator Code | -- |
| Owner has at least one certificate | None |
| Other Operator of large aircraft? | No |
| Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation | -- |
| Operator Certificate Number | -- |
| Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not | -- |
| Indicates Domestic or International Flight | -- |
| Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail | -- |
| Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) | Personal |
| Second Pilot on Board | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | No |
| Departure Airport Code | CRW |
| Departure City | Charleston |
| Departure State | WV |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 950 |
| Departure Time Zone | EDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | CRG |
| Destination City | Jacksonville |
| Destination State | FL |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Cruise |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Aug 21 2009 1:14PM |
| User who most recently changed record | muzd |
| Since inspection or accident | Last Inspection |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | N/A |
| Runway Length | -- |
| Runway Width | -- |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |