# Freezing rain/sleet - Type: NTSB finding subsection - Path: [Environmental issues](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03) › [Conditions/weather/phenomena](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/0303) › [Ceiling/visibility/precip](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/030350) › Freezing rain/sleet - NTSB code: 03035040 - Cases: 26 - In the probable cause: 23 - Fatal cases: 19 - All cases: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03035040/cases.md - Cases with it in the probable cause: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03035040/cases.md?cause=1 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03035040 ## Cases per year (in the probable cause / all) - 2008: 1 / 1 - 2009: 2 / 2 - 2011: 0 / 1 - 2012: 2 / 2 - 2013: 2 / 2 - 2014: 1 / 1 - 2016: 1 / 1 - 2017: 2 / 2 - 2018: 2 / 3 - 2019: 1 / 1 - 2020: 1 / 1 - 2021: 2 / 3 - 2022: 1 / 1 - 2023: 2 / 2 - 2024: 2 / 2 - 2025: 1 / 1 ## Defining events in these cases - [Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240): 14 cases - [Structural icing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/210): 7 cases - [Aerodynamic stall/spin](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/241): 2 cases - [VFR encounter with IMC](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/401): 1 cases - [Runway excursion](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300): 1 cases - [Hard landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092): 1 cases ## Aircraft models (registry) - [Cirrus Design SR22](https://openairdocs.org/model/cirrus-design-sr22): 3 cases - [Beech E-90](https://openairdocs.org/model/beech-e-90): 3 cases - [Aerospatiale/Aeritalia ATR 42-320](https://openairdocs.org/model/aerospatiale-aeritalia-atr-42-320): 1 cases - [Raytheon 400A](https://openairdocs.org/model/raytheon-400a): 1 cases - [Raytheon 58](https://openairdocs.org/model/raytheon-58): 1 cases - [Piper PA-32R-301T](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-32r-301t): 1 cases - [Piper PA-32R-301](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-32r-301): 1 cases - [Mitsubishi MU-2B-40](https://openairdocs.org/model/mitsubishi-mu-2b-40): 1 cases - [MBB BK 117 A-3](https://openairdocs.org/model/mbb-bk-117-a-3): 1 cases - [Gulfstream AM Corp Comm Div 695A](https://openairdocs.org/model/gulfstream-am-corp-comm-div-695a): 1 cases ## Other findings in the same cases - [Aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040) (Personnel issues): 14 cases - [Decision making/judgment](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520) (Personnel issues): 12 cases - [Performance/control parameters, general](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062000) (Aircraft): 8 cases - [Weather planning](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061020) (Personnel issues): 7 cases - [Conducive to structural icing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03031025) (Environmental issues): 5 cases - [Spatial disorientation](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02022025) (Personnel issues): 4 cases - [Low visibility](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03035015) (Environmental issues): 3 cases - [Altitude](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062012) (Aircraft): 3 cases - [Airspeed](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062010) (Aircraft): 3 cases - [Aircraft structures, general](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01030000) (Aircraft): 3 cases ## Newest cases - [NTSB ERA25LA111](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA25LA111), Feb 5, 2025: Cirrus Design SR22 (N406SR), New Lexington, OH, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s flight into previously forecasted freezing rain, which resulted in ice accretion, reduced forward visibility, and a subsequent landing undershoot. - [NTSB WPR24FA124](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR24FA124), Apr 14, 2024: Gulfstream 695A (N965BC), San Bernardino, CA, destroyed, 1 fatal. Probable cause: The pilot’s continued use of the airplane’s autopilot after flight into moderate to severe icing conditions, which resulted in an exceedance of the airplane’s critical angle of attack and an… - [NTSB ERA24FA176](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA24FA176), Apr 12, 2024: Piper PA-32R-301 (N9236J), Knoxville, TN, destroyed, 1 fatal. Probable cause: The pilot’s decision to depart into an area of instrument meteorological and icing conditions, which resulted in loss of airplane control and a subsequent in-flight breakup. - [NTSB ANC23LA065](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC23LA065), Aug 27, 2023: Beech B36TC (N6709Q), Cape Yakataga, AK, destroyed, 2 fatal. Probable cause: The pilot’s continued flight into moderate to severe icing conditions, including supercooled large droplets, over mountainous terrain, which resulted in a loss of control and impact with terrain.… - [NTSB CEN23FA220](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN23FA220), Jun 2, 2023: Vans RV7 (N977RV), Gibbon, NE, destroyed, 1 fatal. Probable cause: The pilot’s improper decision to fly the airplane into known adverse weather and icing conditions which resulted in a loss of control. - [NTSB ERA23FA024](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA23FA024), Oct 18, 2022: Beech E-90 (N515GK), Marietta, OH, substantial damage, 2 fatal. Probable cause: Structural icing on the tailplane that resulted in a tailplane stall and subsequent loss of control. - [NTSB CEN22FA032](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN22FA032), Nov 15, 2021: Beech E-90 (N290KA), Boyne City, MI, destroyed, 2 fatal. Probable cause: The pilot’s failure to maintain sufficient airspeed and his exceedance of the airplane’s critical angle of attack while in icing conditions, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall and subsequent… - [NTSB CEN22FA023](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN22FA023), Oct 31, 2021: Beech P35 (N8625M), Harrison, NE, substantial damage, 2 fatal. Probable cause: The pilot’s decision to continue the flight into instrument and icing conditions, which resulted in loss of control and impact with terrain. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s failure to… - [NTSB ANC21LA073](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC21LA073), Aug 16, 2021: Cessna 208 (N97HA), Fairbanks, AK, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s unexpected encounter with supercooled liquid droplets (SLD), which resulted in a loss of control due to ice accumulation. Contributing to the accident were: (1) the pilot’s failure to… - [NTSB CEN21LA030](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN21LA030), Oct 26, 2020: Cessna 210 (N9622T), Lubbock, TX, destroyed, 1 fatal. Probable cause: The pilot’s improper decision to fly into icing conditions with an airplane that was not equipped for icing, which led to structural icing and a subsequent loss of airplane control, and the pilot’s… NTSB has coded findings and defining events since 2008; earlier cases used its older occurrence and cause codes and aren't counted. Findings: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings.md. Defining events: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events.md. Phases of flight: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases.md. Every investigation, filtered by finding, event, phase, state, year or model: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb.md (for example ?state=MI&fatal=1). NTSB's definitions: Accident and incident, 49 CFR 830.2 (https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-49/subtitle-B/chapter-VIII/part-830/subpart-A/section-830.2), CICTT occurrence categories (PDF) (https://www.ntsb.gov/safety/data/Documents/datafiles/OccurrenceCategoryDefinitions.pdf), CICTT phases of flight (PDF) (https://www.ntsb.gov/safety/data/Documents/datafiles/PhaseofFlightDefinitions.pdf), and NTSB coding manual, before 2008 (PDF) (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). NTSB publishes no definitions for its findings, only their names. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.