What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On March 11th, 2023 at approximately 2135 central time, a Socata TB20, crashed while on approach to runway 10R at kfcm. The aircraft was not certified for flight into known icing.
Prior to the flight, the PIC received a weather briefing via phone from leidos fss at 1914 central time. The weather briefing for the route of flight included IFR conditions at the departure and destination airports, an AIRMET for icing and snow on the radar.
During the climb out, the PIC checked the wings for ice every two minutes until reaching the tops at 5,400’. The PIC first noted ice buildup on the aircraft while on a vector to final outside of the zamud intersection after the aircraft (a king air C90) that had just landed on runway 10R reported “good” braking action. The PIC looked out his window with a pen light and estimated about 4” of ice buildup on the leading edge of the wing. The ice also ran back to approximately the fuel cap. The PIC noted that the windshield was completely covered with what were described as “rocks”, so the window defrost was turned on and was able to clear the windshield. This was the first time since reaching cruise that the PIC inspected for ice. The PIC waited to extend the landing gear until beyond the stubr intersection and did not extend the flaps due to the ice buildup on the aircraft. When the PIC was asked about power setting on approach, the PIC could not recall the actual power setting, but monitored the fuel flow. The PIC stated that a normal approach would require a fuel flow between 9 gph and 11 gph. The PIC stated that this approach required about 15 gph. Also, the PIC stated that a normal cruise power setting was 16.4 gph, which would be about half throttle. The aircraft broke out of the clouds between 300’ AGL and 400’ AGL, then the PIC cancelled IFR. The PIC was unable to maintain a flight path that would make the runway, made a final turn to avoid a tree then impacted the snow with the left wing down. The aircraft bounced and flipped over before final impact and explosion. All three occupants were able to escape the aircraft. The PIC and one passenger sustained injuries.
As the FAA filed it
ON MARCH 11TH, 2023 AT APPROXIMATELY 2135 CENTRAL TIME, A SOCATA TB20, CRASHED WHILE ON APPROACH TO RUNWAY 10R AT KFCM. THE AIRCRAFT WAS NOT CERTIFIED FOR FLIGHT INTO KNOWN ICING.
PRIOR TO THE FLIGHT, THE PIC RECEIVED A WEATHER BRIEFING VIA PHONE FROM LEIDOS FSS AT 1914 CENTRAL TIME. THE WEATHER BRIEFING FOR THE ROUTE OF FLIGHT INCLUDED IFR CONDITIONS AT THE DEPARTURE AND DESTINATION AIRPORTS, AN AIRMET FOR ICING AND SNOW ON THE RADAR.
DURING THE CLIMB OUT, THE PIC CHECKED THE WINGS FOR ICE EVERY TWO MINUTES UNTIL REACHING THE TOPS AT 5,400’. THE PIC FIRST NOTED ICE BUILDUP ON THE AIRCRAFT WHILE ON A VECTOR TO FINAL OUTSIDE OF THE ZAMUD INTERSECTION AFTER THE AIRCRAFT (A KING AIR C90) THAT HAD JUST LANDED ON RUNWAY 10R REPORTED “GOOD” BRAKING ACTION. THE PIC LOOKED OUT HIS WINDOW WITH A PEN LIGHT AND ESTIMATED ABOUT 4” OF ICE BUILDUP ON THE LEADING EDGE OF THE WING. THE ICE ALSO RAN BACK TO APPROXIMATELY THE FUEL CAP. THE PIC NOTED THAT THE WINDSHIELD WAS COMPLETELY COVERED WITH WHAT WERE DESCRIBED AS “ROCKS”, SO THE WINDOW DEFROST WAS TURNED ON AND WAS ABLE TO CLEAR THE WINDSHIELD. THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME SINCE REACHING CRUISE THAT THE PIC INSPECTED FOR ICE. THE PIC WAITED TO EXTEND THE LANDING GEAR UNTIL BEYOND THE STUBR INTERSECTION AND DID NOT EXTEND THE FLAPS DUE TO THE ICE BUILDUP ON THE AIRCRAFT. WHEN THE PIC WAS ASKED ABOUT POWER SETTING ON APPROACH, THE PIC COULD NOT RECALL THE ACTUAL POWER SETTING, BUT MONITORED THE FUEL FLOW. THE PIC STATED THAT A NORMAL APPROACH WOULD REQUIRE A FUEL FLOW BETWEEN 9 GPH AND 11 GPH. THE PIC STATED THAT THIS APPROACH REQUIRED ABOUT 15 GPH. ALSO, THE PIC STATED THAT A NORMAL CRUISE POWER SETTING WAS 16.4 GPH, WHICH WOULD BE ABOUT HALF THROTTLE. THE AIRCRAFT BROKE OUT OF THE CLOUDS BETWEEN 300’ AGL AND 400’ AGL, THEN THE PIC CANCELLED IFR. THE PIC WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN A FLIGHT PATH THAT WOULD MAKE THE RUNWAY, MADE A FINAL TURN TO AVOID A TREE THEN IMPACTED THE SNOW WITH THE LEFT WING DOWN. THE AIRCRAFT BOUNCED AND FLIPPED OVER BEFORE FINAL IMPACT AND EXPLOSION. ALL THREE OCCUPANTS WERE ABLE TO ESCAPE THE AIRCRAFT. THE PIC AND ONE PASSENGER SUSTAINED INJURIES.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.