# NTSB CEN13CA005: Piper PA-24-250, N6661P, Colorado Springs, CO, October 5, 2012 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: October 5, 2012, 14:44 local (20:44 UTC) - Place: Colorado Springs, CO - Coordinates: 38.945556, -104.569725 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=38.9456&lon=-104.5697&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Enroute: Structural icing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/210) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report December 19, 2012 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Central Region - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration - NTSB case key (mKey): 85267 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN13CA005 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/85267/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=85267 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN13CA005 ## Probable cause The pilot’s failure to maintain airspeed during the landing with known structural icing, which resulted in the airplane’s stall. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s failure to divert to an area where conditions were not conducive to icing. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-24-250, 34 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=7102404), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md) - [Temp/humidity/pressure: conducive to structural icing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03031025): Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Contributed to outcome; cases with it: [Piper PA-24-250, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03031025/cases.md?model=7102404), [All aircraft, 103 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03031025/cases.md) - [Action: lack of action](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041030): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-24-250, 4 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041030/cases.md?model=7102404), [All aircraft, 792 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041030/cases.md) - [Performance/control parameters: airspeed](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062010): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-24-250, 12 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062010/cases.md?model=7102404), [All aircraft, 1,681 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062010/cases.md) - [Temp/humidity/pressure: conducive to structural icing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03031025): Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Effect on equipment (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-24-250, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03031025/cases.md?model=7102404), [All aircraft, 103 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03031025/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Enroute: Structural icing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/210) (defining event); cases with it: [Piper PA-24-250, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/210/sequence.md?model=7102404), [All aircraft, 102 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/210/sequence.md) - [Landing-flare/touchdown: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240); cases with it: [Piper PA-24-250, 22 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md?model=7102404), [All aircraft, 5,002 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md) - [Uncontrolled descent: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Piper PA-24-250, 55 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=7102404), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) ## Analysis An air traffic controller provided the pilot with an altitude at which to cruise, but the airplane began accumulating structural icing. The pilot requested a lower altitude, but the altitude was still in clouds and the airplane continued to accumulate ice; the controller was unable to provide an even lower altitude to the pilot due to the minimum vectoring altitude. The pilot then visually acquired the airport, at which point the airplane had accumulated 1 1/2 to 2 inches of structural icing. The pilot kept the airplane's speed up during the pattern; however, on short final he reduced power and the airplane stalled about 105 mph. The airplane impacted terrain short of the runway and sustained substantial left and right wing damage. He reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions with the airplane during the flight that would have precluded normal operations. The pilot indicated that he should have obtained the weather conditions at his destination in flight, because they had worsened, or he should have sought an ice-free solution, which may have been behind his flight path. ## Factual narrative The pilot was given an altitude to fly by an air traffic controller where the pilot saw that the airplane collected one and one-half to two inches of structural ice. The pilot requested a lower altitude and the controller was unable to accommodate the pilot due to the minimum vectoring altitude. The pilot kept the airplane's speed up during the pattern. However, on short final he reduced power and the airplane stalled about 105 mph. The airplane impacted terrain short of the runway and sustained substantial left and right wing damage. He reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions with the airplane during the flight. The pilot's safety recommendation indicated that he should have sought an ice free solution which would have been behind his ultimate flight path. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N6661P](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N6661P-2013-04-12), registration cancelled 2013-04-12, S/N 24-1784, built 1960 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: PIPER PA-24-250 - Registry model: [Piper PA-24-250](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-24-250) (registry code 7102404) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-540 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-540-series) (registry code 41532, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 24-1784 - Airframe hours: 5117.6 - Engines: LYCOMING O-540-A1C5 250 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: Six One Papa LLC - Registered owner: Six One Papa LLC - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, July 9, 2012 - Departed: CPS, Cahokia, IL - Destination: FLY, Colorado Springs, CO - Flight plan: IFR - Airport: FLY, Meadow Lake Airport, runway 15, 6,000 × 60 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 58; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 3, with waivers/limitations; last flight review September 14, 2012; seat: left; flight hours: 816 total, 430 in this make and model, 741 as pilot in command, 11 in the last 90 days, 11 in the last 30 days, 4 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 130° at 6 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 1,800 ft overcast - Temperature: 39 °F, dew point 30 °F - Altimeter: 30.19 inHg - Observed at: FLY ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20121005022279A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20121005022279A), Oct 5, 2012: Piper PA-24-250, Peyton, CO, Destroyed. On oct. 5, 2012, N6661P, Piper PA-24-250, departed cahokia, IL (kcps) at aprox. 1055 CDT enroute to meadowlake airport (kfly) Peyton, CO. On a IFR flight plan.… ## Other investigations on N6661P (1) From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. - [NTSB FTW98LA060](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW98LA060), Dec 1, 1997: Piper PA-24-250 (N6661P), Lubbock, TX, substantial damage. Probable cause: The inadequate maintenance of the landing gear assembly by maintenance personnel resulting in a partial gear extension, and the pilot's misjudgment of a proper touchdown point to intentionally shut… ## Docket (1 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 25, 2012, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=85267. 1.5 MB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 1.5 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40379518&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- 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.