- Date
- January 19, 2016, 12:50 local (18:50 UTC)
- Place
- Ottawa, KS
- Injuries
- 1 minor, 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N113WBPiper PA 46
- Defining event
- Enroute-climb to cruise: Structural icing
- Weather
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report April 5, 2016
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- Case key
- 92603
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The flight crews encounter with un-forecasted freezing rain resulting in an uncontrolled descent, forced landing, and substantial damage to the airplane's firewall, and forward pressure bulkhead.
Findings · 4
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
According to the flight instructor, he and the pilot rated student receiving instruction were operating under instrument flight rules in instrument meteorological conditions. He reported that throughout the flight the airplane accumulated light rime ice. He recalled that after holding at a Very High Frequency Omni-Directional Range (VOR), they completed a VOR approach, executed the missed approach procedure, set the power to climb at the airspeed of 130 knots indicated airspeed and began to climb to 5000 feet. He reported that as they climbed they encountered freezing rain, the airspeed began to deteriorate and the degree of ice accumulation increased from light to moderate. He reported that all of the airplane's de-ice systems were functioning yet he was not able to maintain altitude. He determined that landing at the destination airport was not an option and executed a forced landing in an open field. He affirmed that during the landing the airplane bounced several times before coming to a stop. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the firewall, forward pressure bulkhead and puncture holes in the airplane skin. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical failures or anomalies prior to or during the flight that would have prevented normal flight operation.
Factual narrative
According to the flight instructor, he and the pilot rated student receiving instruction were operating under instrument flight rules in instrument meteorological conditions. He reported that throughout the flight the airplane accumulated light rime ice. He recalled that after holding at a Very High Frequency Omni-Directional Range (VOR), they completed a VOR approach, executed the missed approach procedure, set the power to climb at the airspeed of 130 knots indicated airspeed and began to climb to 5000 feet. He reported that as they climbed they encountered freezing rain, the airspeed began to deteriorate and the degree of ice accumulation increased from light to moderate. He reported that all of the airplane's de-ice systems were functioning yet he was not able to maintain altitude. He determined that landing at the destination airport was not an option and executed a forced landing in an open field. He affirmed that during the landing the airplane bounced several times before coming to a stop. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the firewall, forward pressure bulkhead and puncture holes in the airplane skin. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical failures or anomalies prior to or during the flight that would have prevented normal flight operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N113WB
- Reported as
- Piper PA 46 (350P)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 4622193
- Built
- 1995
- Airframe hours
- 3,100.2
- Engine
- Lycoming TIO-540-AE2A, 350 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Operator
- No Boundaries Aviation LLC
- Registered owner
- No Boundaries Aviation LLC
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · May 1, 2015
- Departed
- IXD · Olathe, KS
- Destination
- IXD · Olathe, KS
- Flight plan
- IFR
- Equipment
- Auto-pilot, Electronic multifunction display, Stall warning system
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew · 2
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 67
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine sea, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- July 22, 2015
- Seat
- Front
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 2,985 total · 290 in this make and model · 2,778 as pilot in command · 98 in the last 90 days · 26 in the last 30 days
- Role
- Pilot-rated passenger
- Age
- 68
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 2,500 total · 800 in this make and model · 2,400 as pilot in command · 5 in the last 90 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Wind
- 80° at 12 knots
- Visibility
- 4 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 1,700 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 21 °F, dew point 18 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.23 inHg
- Observed at
- IXD, 24 nm away
Docket · 4
The files NTSB released with the investigation on March 23, 2016, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 4.4 MB in all.