CHI98FA107

The weather brief to the pilot indicated an Airmet was in effect for 'occasional to moderate rime or mixed icing along the entire route of flight.' The briefer reported to the pilot, '... what you'll be encountering affecting your route of flight is the wrap-around effect on that low pressure.' At 1949, the pilot requested to descend from 4,000 feet to 3,000 msl. At 1952, the pilot reported the airplane was accumulating ice, but did not think he could shed it. He requested to deviate to Terre Haute. The airplane was cleared to descend to 2,500 feet msl. At 2001, the pilot reported losing airspeed and requested to land at a closer airport. While on approach, the pilot reported, 'Heck, we're all over the place right now....' The airplane impacted a farm field at night, at a shallow angle of descent, with the landing gear down. The airplane wings impacted trees and the airplane was destroyed by fire. Engine and flight control continuity were confirmed.

History of flight

On March 20, 1998, at 2005 eastern standard time (All times EST), a Beech A-36, N1812A, was destroyed when it impacted terrain five miles south of the Sullivan County Airport, Sullivan, Indiana. The pilot reported picking up ice and was being vectored for an instrument approach. The instrument rated private pilot, pilot rated passenger, and two passengers received fatal injuries. The 14 CFR Part 91 business flight departed Louisville, Kentucky en route to Aurora, Illinois. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed and the aircraft was on an instrument flight plan.

At 1818, the pilot called the Louisville Automated Flight Service Station (AFSS) by telephone and obtained a preflight pilot briefing for an IFR flight from Louisville, Kentucky, to Aurora, Illinois. The pilot indicated to the weather briefer that he was concerned about the icing conditions. The weather briefer reported the following flight precaution:

"Okay, there is an Airmet for occasional to moderate rime or mixed icing along the entire route of flight. Ah, 3,000 to 16,000 here locally. Up north, from the surface to 16,000 up there in the Aurora area. And, Airmet for an occasional IFR conditions along the entire route of flight. Turbulence, ah, occasional moderate below 8,000. That's it on the flight precautions. Low pressure currently located in ... extreme eastern Kentucky. It's moving slowly to the east. As it does, it should pull some of the moisture with it, but, what you'll be encountering affecting your route of flight is the wrap-around effect on that low pressure."

The pilot responded, "Yeh, I'm looking at it right now."

The AFSS weather briefer reported the current weather at Terre Haute, Indiana, and Aurora, Illinois.

The AFSS weather briefer gave the pilot reports concerning icing conditions encountered by airplanes near Louisville, Kentucky. A Cessna 195 had reported light to moderate rime icing that was shed when he descended from 4,000 feet to 3,000 feet mean sea level (msl). A Cessna 340 had reported moderate to severe mixed icing at 6,000 feet msl. An Aero Commander pilot had reported light rime icing at 7,500 feet msl near Lafayette, Indiana. No pilot reports of icing had been received from pilots in the Chicago, Illinois, area.

At 1852, the pilot called the Louisville AFSS by telephone and filed an IFR flight plan from Louisville, Kentucky, to Aurora, Illinois. The briefer asked the pilot if he needed a weather brief and the pilot declined.

At 1917, the pilot departed Standiford/Louisville International Airport, Louisville, Kentucky, en route to Aurora, Illinois. At 1918, the pilot was instructed to climb to the filed en route altitude of 4,000 feet msl. At 1921, the pilot was instructed to turn right on course. At 1941, the pilot was instructed to contact the Evansville Approach Control.

At 1854, Evansville Approach Control had received a pilot report from a Cessna 402. It had encountered light mixed icing about 30 miles north of Evansville, Indiana at 8,000 feet msl and that it lost the ice at 4,500 feet msl.

At 1941, N1812A (12A) contacted Evansville Approach Control and reported level at 4,000 feet msl.

At 1942, the pilot requested icing reports in the area. Evansville Approach reported negative icing reports in the area.

The controller reported that, "The aircraft [12A] was in the far north-east corner of my airspace and I had no reports in that area."

At 1945, Evansville Approach Control told 12A to contact Terre Haute Approach Control.

At 1945:37, 12A contacted Terre Haute Approach Control and reported level at 4,000 feet msl.

At 1945:58, 12A requested icing reports in the area.

At 1946:01, the controller responded, "November One Two Alpha, I haven't had any in several hours. Um, earlier they were saying at or below five with some light to moderate mixed. The last one we had about two hours ago was, um, descending into Terre Haute. Said the ice they picked up was between ten and eleven."

At 1946:17, 12A responded, "Two Alpha, thanks."

At 1946:23, the controller stated, "... If you have any pilot reports for me, I appreciate it. And, um, just let me know if you need to deviate for anything."

At 1949:13, 12A requested a descent to 3,000 feet msl and was cleared to descend at 1949:25.

At 1952:48, 12A reported, "Yah, we're starting to accumulate some ice. Don't think were gonna shed it. Any chance of, uh, getting Terre Haute tonight?"

At 1952:54, the controller reported, "... sure, you can fly heading three six zero toward Terre Haute. Ah, I'll have weather for you shortly."

At 1955:30, the controller reported, "... the Terre Haute weather: wind three six zero at one one, gust to one seven, visibility one zero, ceiling is nine hundred, broken one thousand four hundred, overcast. Altimeter two niner seven zero. And fly heading three four zero. Vectors for the ILS runway four."

At 1955:56, the controller reported, "... if you like you can descend at pilot's discretion two thousand five hundred."

At 1956:01, the 12A responded, "Down to twenty-five hundred, One Two Alpha."

At 2001:48, the 12A reported, "Is there any where else *(seems) we're losing a little more airspeed here and, ah, I don't know anything closer than Terre Haute."

At 2001:54, the controller reported, "Well, at your twelve o'clock, eleven or twelve o'clock, and five miles is Sullivan Airport."

At 2002:00, 12A responded, "You think we can get into that?"

At 2002:04, the controller responded, "Um, yah, if you'd like. Two thousand five hundred is as low as I can get you. Ya IMC?"

At 2002:08, 12A responded, "Yah, we still IMC here at twenty (unintelligible).

Between 2002:10 and 2004:07, 12A was given vectors for the VOR/DME-A approach into Sullivan County Airport, Sullivan, Indiana.

At 2004:40, the controller stated, "And, Bonanza One Two Alpha, about, ah, two and a half miles from Rodeo. Turn right heading zero two zero, maintain two thousand five hundred till established on the VOR final. Cleared DME Alpha approach."

At 2004:51, 12A responded, "Zero two zero (unintelligible)."

At 2005:42, the controlled stated, "Bonanza One Two Alpha, Hulman."

At 2005:45, 12A responded, "Heck, we're all over the place right now for One Two Alpha."

At 2005:47, the controller stated, "One Two Alpha, roger, and if you can fly heading of three two zero when able, and ah, climb and maintain two thousand five hundred, we'll try to get you back on there. Is that, ah, wind that low pretty strong?"

There were no further radio transmissions from N1812A.

The airplane was found about five miles south of the Sullivan County Airport. There were no witnesses to the accident.

Personnel information

The pilot was an instrument rated private pilot. He held a Third Class Medical Certificate. He had a total of 436 hours of flight time. In the last 90 days, the pilot had flown the airplane 71 hours, which included 20 hours of night flight and 10 hours of flight in actual instrument conditions. The pilot had taken his instrument checkride on February 9, 1997, and had logged about 40 hours of actual instrument flight time. He logged 6 instrument approaches in the previous month.

The pilot rated passenger in the right seat of the airplane was a private pilot. He held a Third Class Medical Certificate. He had approximately 145 hours of flight time. The pilot rated passenger was not instrument rated.

The pilot and the pilot rated passenger were two of three owners of the airplane. The other pilot who owned a third of the airplane was not on board during the accident flight.

Aircraft information

The aircraft was a Beechcraft A-36 Bonanza, manufactured in 1981, serial number E-1878. The standard airworthiness certificate was issued on June 3, 1981.

According to the aircraft logbook, the last recorded inspection of the airplane in