What happened
The accident occurred during the final phase of flight as the aircraft was attempting to land. Approximately 100 feet from the runway threshold and at an altitude of 10 feet above ground level (AGL), the aircraft experienced a stall while maintaining a speed of 100 knots indicated airspeed (KIAS). This event took place during the flare round-out maneuver.
The investigation
Examination of the aircraft revealed that approximately one-eighth inch of ice was present on the airfoils at the time of the accident. The main landing gear contacted the ground with significant force, pushing the gear upward into the wings, indicating a hard or gear-up impact.
Findings
Meteorological conditions along the route of flight included clouds containing moderate rime ice. Despite these known icing conditions, the pilot did not activate the de-ice boots prior to landing. The accumulation of ice on the airfoils contributed to the aerodynamic stall at low altitude.
Safety message
Pilots operating in known icing conditions must ensure that anti-icing and de-icing systems are activated as required by the aircraft flight manual to maintain aerodynamic performance.