Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Penn Yan Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Dundee, New York 14837
Wednesday, December 22, 2010 19:50 EST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
Prior to departing on the night instrument meteorological conditions flight, the pilot obtained a weather briefing that included an airmen's meteorological information for moderate icing conditions below 12,000 feet and two pilot reports, one for light-to-moderate and one for moderate-to-severe icing conditions. The flight progressed toward the destination airport and the pilot was advised by an air traffic controller of pilot reports for moderate and severe icing conditions in the surrounding areas. The airplane intercepted the initial approach fix, turned onto the runway approach course, and began a normal descent through clouds without incident until it veered to the northeast and radar contact was lost. The airplane impacted the ground about 1 mile north-northwest of the last radar target and 8 miles south of the destination airport. No preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures were found that would have precluded normal operation. Evidence of significant in-flight ice accumulation was observed on the base of a communications antenna mounted on the top of the fuselage and on the upper surface of the inboard two-thirds of the left horizontal stabilizer. At the time of the accident, freezing precipitation, which coated the ground with ice, was present in the vicinity of the accident site. The airplane was not equipped with deicing systems and was not approved for flight into known icing conditions.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot's decision to operate in known moderate-to-severe icing conditions, which resulted in a loss of control during approach.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 12/22/2010 |
| Event Day of the Week | Wednesday |
| Time of Event | 1950 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Standard Time |
| Event City | Dundee |
| Event State | NEW YORK |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 14837 |
| Event Date Year | 2010 |
| Event Date Month | 12 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 423116N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0770208W |
| Event Location Airport | Penn Yan |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | PEO |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | Off Airport/Airstrip |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 8 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | 990 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1953 Eastern Standard Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 180 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | PEO |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 990 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 8 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EST |
| Lighting Conditions | Night |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 900 |
| 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) | 9 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | -4 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | -6 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 310 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 10 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | 19 |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 29.96 |
| 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 | 1 |
| Injury Total Minor | -- |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | 1 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 29609 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA Eastern ROC |
| NTSB Notification Date | -- |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Feb 1 2012 3:41PM |
| User who most recently changed record | kenj |
| Basic weather conditions | Instrument Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N968SM |
| NTSB Number | ERA11FA095 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | IFR |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | Yes |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | MOONEY |
| Aircraft Model | M20R |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 29-0348 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 3200 |
| 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 | 4 |
| Number of Engines | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Retractable |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | Jun 9 2010 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 110 |
| Airframe Hours | 675 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | Yes |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | C91-A |
| Aircraft Owner Name | ROCKLAND AVIATION LLC |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | WILMINGTON |
| Aircraft Owner State | DE |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 19808-1645 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | ROCKLAND AVIATION LLC |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | -- |
| Operator City | WILMINGTON |
| Operator State | DE |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 19808-1645 |
| 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 | CDW |
| Departure City | Caldwell |
| Departure State | NJ |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1840 |
| Departure Time Zone | EST |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | PEO |
| Destination City | Penn Yan |
| Destination State | NY |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Feb 1 2012 3:41PM |
| User who most recently changed record | kenj |
| Since inspection or accident | Time of Accident |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 01 |
| Runway Length | 5500 |
| Runway Width | 100 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |