ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 277461
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| Date: | Saturday 16 April 2022 |
| Time: | 19:52 |
| Type: |  Piper PA-32-260 Cherokee Six C |
| Owner/operator: | Private |
| Registration: | N3618W |
| MSN: | 32-519 |
| Year of manufacture: | 1966 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 3279 hours |
| Engine model: | Lycoming O-540-E4B5 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 3 |
| Aircraft damage: | Substantial |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Grantsville, MD -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | En route |
| Nature: | Private |
| Departure airport: | Wabash Municipal Airport, IN (KIWH) |
| Baltimore-Martin State Airport, MD (MTN/KMTN) | |
| Investigating agency: | NTSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
On April 16, 2022, about 1952 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA-32-260, N3618W, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Grantsville, Maryland. The pilot and two passengers received minor injuries. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight.
During cruise flight above 10,000 ft mean sea level (msl) in instrument meteorological conditions (IMC), the pilot noted the airplane’s airspeed slowing and the autopilot pitching the airplane up in order to maintain altitude. After he disconnected the autopilot, the pilot had difficulty maintaining pitch control. The pilot suspected that the airplane was accumulating ice but did not see any on the wings or windscreen. A performance study using automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast (ADS-B) data indicated that the airplane descended and slowed until there was a sudden loss of lift near the airplane’s stall speed, which was consistent with an aerodynamic stall. The pilot lowered the nose, and the airplane gained airspeed while continuing to descend.
About 3 minutes 30 seconds later, the airplane experienced a second sudden loss of lift at a much lower lift coefficient and higher airspeed. This second loss of lift was consistent with an accumulation of ice on the wing, which increased drag and reduced the amount of lift the wing could produce before a stall. The airplane recovered briefly before drag again began to increase. Drag continued to gradually increase until the flight descended below ADS-B coverage. According to the pilot, the airplane descended out of the clouds into heavy rain. The pilot performed a forced landing to a road. During the landing the airplane impacted trees and terrain, resulting in substantial damage to the fuselage, wings, and empennage.
Based on surface weather observations, upper air sounding data, and satellite weather imagery, clouds were likely present in the accident area from 3,300 ft msl (about 400 ft above ground level) through 13,000 ft msl. In areas with precipitation, which the flight encountered, clouds likely persisted from 13,000 ft msl to near the surface. Moderate or greater icing conditions were indicated from near 6,000 ft msl through 9,500 ft msl, but icing conditions likely persisted through 13,000 ft msl near the cloud tops. Further, supercooled liquid droplets (SLD) conditions were likely present in the icing encountered by the flight. The flight was likely in IMC below 13,000 ft msl with moderate or greater icing conditions and SLD.
The pilot’s reports that the airplane was underperforming, unable to climb, and that the autopilot was increasing pitch to maintain altitude were consistent with ice accumulation degrading handling. The second loss of lift event occurred at a high lift coefficient, high angle of attack, and at an airspeed lower than the airplane’s stall speed. The ice accumulation on the airplane likely made it difficult for the pilot to control airspeed and attitude, which resulted in a loss of control.
Based on the ForeFlight weather briefing information that the pilot received, he should have been aware of the potential for icing conditions on the accident flight. His decision to continue the flight in an airplane not equipped for flight into known into icing conditions resulted in the accident
Probable Cause: The pilot’s decision to continue the flight into an area of moderate to heavy icing conditions, which resulted in a degradation of airplane performance and subsequent loss of control.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
https://www.wbaltv.com/article/small-plane-crash-grantsville-maryland/39743413
https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=104952
https://flightaware.com/live/flight/N3618W/history/20220416/2125Z/KIWH/KMTN
Location
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 17-Apr-2022 05:48 | gerard57 | Added |
| 17-Apr-2022 06:00 | harro | Updated [Aircraft type, Registration, Cn, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source] |
| 17-Apr-2022 06:04 | harro | Updated [Location, Source, Narrative, Category] |
| 07-May-2022 01:43 | Captain Adam | Updated [Time, Source, Narrative, Category] |
| 07-May-2022 01:43 | Captain Adam | Updated [Narrative] |
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