About 90 minutes before the flight, the pilot received a preflight weather briefing, which included an advisory for moderate icing between the freezing level (expected to be at or below 10,000 feet mean sea level and 22,000 feet msl.)
The pilot reported that the Cirrus SR22 encountered instrument meteorological conditions with light icing accumulation about 45 minutes into the flight.
He advised an air traffic controller of the situation when the airplane was operating about 15,900 feet msl, however, before he had decided on an alternate route of flight, the icing conditions worsened, and the plane was unable to maintain altitude.
The controller noted that this was the first icing report in that vicinity, although there had been earlier reports of light to moderate icing about 50 miles west of the airplane’s position.
Unsure of the height of the cloud bases in relation to the mountainous terrain below the airplane’s flightpath, the pilot chose to deploy the parachute system. The airplane hit a mountainside near Gunnison, Colo., in about 10 feet of snow at an elevation of 11,000 feet msl.
Available weather data at the time of the accident indicated that the freezing level was about 10,000 feet msl with clouds tops about 18,000 feet msl around the incident site.
The NTSB determined the probable cause as the pilot’s improper decision to initiate the flight into an area with forecast icing conditions, which resulted in an encounter with in-flight icing conditions that prevented the airplane from being able to maintain altitude.
NTSB Identification: CEN14IA139
This February 2014 accident report is provided by the National Transportation Safety Board. Published as an educational tool, it is intended to help pilots learn from the misfortunes of others.
Stupid is as stupid does!
Expensive little toys with parachutes
and gagitry that replace common sense . A lack of skill ,experience, and perhaps being mainstreamed through the training.
1200 hrs, ( a piss drop in the bucket) with MEL / inst rating???? Who ever sold
him his cert’s. should be incarserated !!
ICE did not bring down the Cirrus………….GRAVITY DID !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!…………. but only after the pilot did this
The NTSB determined the probable cause as the pilot’s improper decision to initiate the flight into an area with forecast icing conditions, which resulted in an encounter with in-flight icing conditions that prevented the airplane from being able to maintain altitude.
It would be interesting to find out if the insurance company did pay for dilbert’s plane. My insurance policy says I have to fly within limitations of the FAR’s. FIKI is not meeting the FAR with a SR22.
Why get a weather report if you are going to ignore the information? I’m glad the parachute evidently saved his stupidity, but he should do us all a favor and take up another hobby, since he is not going to be proffesional about flying.
Love the spelling of ‘professional’ !
The 41 year old, 1200+ hour pilot rated MEL, SEL, IFR got his flight briefing via ForeFlight (See the docket). Ice was mentioned, but not emphasized in the textual printed briefing. It looks like the less from this INCIDENT (not ACCIDENT) is consumers of self briefed, ForeFlight and other printed products are in pretty dangerous territory if they (the consumer) don’t (a) take the time to READ the brief; (b) have the saavy to UNDERSTAND the material; and (c) have mature judgment necessary to ACT on what they’ve READ and what the textual/graphical presentation SAYS. I’d say this pilot made the exactly correct decision when he found him self in a narrow band of altitude not far above very solid rocks. His error was failing to anticipate the non-zero very positive probability of ice while he was safely on the ground. When he began to detect ice prior to pulling the cord he continued motoring on, rather than reversing course. Perhaps hubris also played a part, along with ignorance, hopefulness, and the defining behavior (inadequate pre-flight). A nice lesson, wrapped up in one neat package. I would not characterize this a “stupid”, just sloppy, poor report Wx interpretation skills, and significant overconfidence in the aircraft.
John you are too kind, I would go with stupid.
It seems that some of these Sr 22 drivers think they are in a mini airliner and exempt from the weather. No wonder their insurance policies are so high!
Guys like that make our insurance rates higher. Pilot gets a forecast for moderate icing up to 22,000′ , over the mountains, takes off in a non-deiced small single engine plane. They say you can’t fix stupid.
I assume he survived the landing-the article didn’t say .
Why he bothered getting a weather briefing is puzzling since he obviously intended to ignore it at his own peril. Some people it seems like to dare the elements to bring them down. They do GA a disservice.
Paul has probably never made a mistake
This wasn’t a mistake. He took off into known forecast icing conditions, over mountainous territory no less. What do you wanna bet Paul hasn’t done that?