Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Allagash, Maine 04774
Monday, March 7, 2011 13:45 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

On the day of the flight, the pilot called the London International Airport (YXU), London, Canada, Flight Service Station (FSS) to file a flight plan. When asked by the FSS if he wanted a weather briefing or Notices to Airmen (NOTAMs) the pilot declined. According to the FSS personnel, the pilot did not receive the vital weather information that called for icing along the route of flight. Two pilot reports were documented before the accident time with moderate icing conditions reported. According to the pilot-in-command (PIC), he and the pilot-rated passenger had reviewed the weather from computer sources. The PIC determined that an en route area of low pressure would have prevented them from reaching their final destination that day. The PIC noted that the low pressure area would be moving into their current area, Halifax, the following day, so he and the passenger decided to depart Halifax for Saint John, New Brunswick, where they would stay until the weather associated with the front had passed. The flight departed and reached a cruising altitude of 6,000 feet. During the flight, the passenger advised the PIC that ice had formed on the left wing, and the PIC observed the same on the right wing. The PIC described the accumulation as no thicker than a nickel at that point. The PIC requested a lower altitude, and a Montreal air traffic controller authorized a descent to 5,200 feet. The PIC told the controller that they were still experiencing icing and needed to descend to a lower altitude. During the descent, the PIC recalled that the airplane experienced the most ice he had ever seen in his life and that the canopy had completely frozen over. He described the ice as being as large as a house brick on the leading edge, extending back on the wing for 1 foot, and about 1 or 2 inches thick on the wing. The pilot observed that the airspeed was 84 knots and the airplane was buffeting in straight and level flight with full power. Ice continued to accumulate on the airplane, and the PIC advised the passenger to start looking for somewhere to land. The pilot estimated that they were about 1,000 feet above ground level while the airplane continued buffeting. The next thing that the PIC remembered was waking up in the airplane, next to the pilot-rated passenger, with no recollection of how long he was unconscious. Examination of the airplane revealed no evidence of a preimpact mechanical malfunction. Based on weather conditions, the airplane encountered severe icing conditions.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's inadvertent encounter with icing conditions, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall and loss of control. Contributing was the pilots’ inadequate preflight weather planning.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 3/7/2011
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 1345
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City Allagash
Event State MAINE
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 04774
Event Date Year 2011
Event Date Month 3
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 464524N
Event Location Longitude 0695300W
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 1353 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 245
Weather Observation Facility ID FVE
Elevation of weather observation facility 987
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 70
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 900
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 1
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) -7
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -9
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 20
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 18
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 30
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.77
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 1
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 30645
NTSB Notification Source FAA New England ROC
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Jul 3 2013 10:27AM
User who most recently changed record johb
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number CGPDO
NTSB Number ERA11FA182
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Non-U.S., Non-Commercial
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? Yes
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name DIAMOND
Aircraft Model DA-40
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 40.915
Certified Max Gross Weight 2645
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class --
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats 2
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats 1
Total number of seats on the aircraft 3
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jan 21 2011 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 300
Airframe Hours 300
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Yes
ELT Type C91-A
Aircraft Owner Name Aviation Investments, Inc.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 10 Price Street
Aircraft Owner City Toronto
Aircraft Owner State --
Aircraft Owner Country CA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode M4W1Z4
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name Aviation Investments, Inc.
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 10 Price Street
Operator City Toronto
Operator State --
Operator Country CA
Operator Zip code M4W1Z4
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 Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code CHHZ
Departure City Halifax
Departure State --
Departure Country CA
Departure Time 1311
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code CYQB
Destination City Quebec
Destination State --
Destination Country CA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jul 3 2013 10:02AM
User who most recently changed record johb
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 --