What happened
The accident occurred during the landing ground run at Tri-City Airport, where the aircraft collided with a snow bank. The runway surface was icy at the time of the incident. The pilot's vision was significantly obstructed by ice accumulation on the windshield. Icing conditions were encountered approximately ten minutes prior to the landing phase. SIGMETs and pilot reports confirmed the presence of icing in the area. The pilot had filed an Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) flight plan for the trip, which departed from Beckley around 1030 on the day of the accident.
The investigation
The investigation examined the condition of the runway and the aircraft's windshield during the final approach and landing phase. Evidence indicated that ice had accumulated on the windshield, directly obstructing the pilot's forward vision. The presence of icing was corroborated by both official SIGMETs and reports from other pilots in the vicinity.
Findings
The primary contributing factor was the obstructed pilot vision due to ice on the windshield. This impairment prevented the pilot from maintaining proper visual reference with the runway environment during the critical landing phase. The icy runway conditions further complicated the landing operation, increasing the risk of collision with the snow bank at the end of the ground run.
Safety message
Pilots operating in known icing conditions must ensure that anti-icing and de-icing systems are functioning correctly and utilized effectively. Maintaining clear windshield visibility is critical for safe landing operations, especially on contaminated runways.