YOUNGS BOTTOM, WV, USA
N9136J
MOONEY M20M
THE PILOT WAS BEING VECTORED AND SEQUENCED FOR AN ILS APPROACH, AND WAS DESCENDED FROM 9000 TO 3000 FT MSL. HE WAS HANDLED BY CHARLESTON (CRW) APPROACH CONTROL FOR ABOUT 20 MIN; SEVERAL PILOTS IN RADIO CONTACT WITH CRW REPORTED AIRFRAME ICING CONDITIONS IN THE AREA. THE PILOT DID NOT REPORT WHETHER OR NOT HE WAS ENCOUNTERING ICING. SHORTLY AFTER THE PILOT WAS VECTORED ONTO THE APPROACH COURSE, THE AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLER REPORTED HE WAS 2 MI SOUTH OF COURSE AND 300 FT BELOW THE ASSIGNED ALTITUDE. THE CONTROLLER INSTRUCTED THE PILOT TO CLIMB. THE PILOT ACKNOWLEDGED, AND SHORTLY AFTERWARDS THE CONTROLLER LOST RADIO AND RADAR CONTACT WITH THE PILOT. WITNESSES SAW THE AIRPLANE DESCEND AND INDICATED THE WINGS WERE 'ROCKING.' WITNESSES REPORTED THE WEATHER AS A LOW OVERCAST WITH FREEZING RAIN. THE AIRPLANE STRUCK THE GROUND IN A RESIDENTIAL AREA. WITNESSES REPORTED 'CHUNKS OF ICE' AROUND THE WRECKAGE, AND ONE WITNESS STATED THERE WAS ICE ALONG THE THE ENTIRE LENGTH OF THE LEFT WING LEADING EDGE.
THE PILOT'S INADEQUATE INFLIGHT DECISION TO CONTINUE FLIGHT IN ICING CONDITION WHICH RESULTED IN DEGRADED AIRCRAFT PERFORMANCE, INADEQUATE AIRSPEED, AND AERODYNAMIC STALL. A RELATED FACTOR IS THE PILOT'S INADEQUATE EVALUATION OF THE WEATHER.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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