Aircraft Crash Following Encounter with Icing Conditions

Casualties unknown • Lostant, IL, US

An aircraft crashed approximately 12 miles from an airport after the pilot encountered turbulence and heavy ice accumulation during a cross-country flight.

What happened

A pilot began a cross-country flight after receiving two weather briefings that explicitly identified known icing conditions. While cruising at 6,000 feet, the pilot notified air traffic control (ATC) of encountering turbulence. The pilot subsequently reported that the aircraft was accumulating both clear and rime ice.

In response to the developing situation, ATC cleared the pilot to a lower altitude and provided a vector toward a nearby airport. Shortly after this instruction, the pilot transmitted messages stating, "we're in trouble" and "we're going down." Following these transmissions, radar contact was lost. The aircraft crashed roughly 12 miles from the airport, with wreckage distributed over a 550 foot area.

Frequently asked questions

What happened in the 1990-02-23 Piper PA-32RT-300 accident near Lostant, IL?

An aircraft crashed approximately 12 miles from an airport after the pilot encountered turbulence and heavy ice accumulation during a cross-country flight.

What aircraft was involved and where did it happen?

The accident on 1990-02-23 involved a Piper PA-32RT-300, registration N3063B, at Lostant, IL.

What was the probable cause of the accident?

FLIGHT INTO KNOWN ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS BY THE PILOT AND STRUCTURAL (WING) ICING. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS AND THE PILOT'S OVERCONFIDENCE IN THE AIRCRAFT'S ABILITY.

Investigation report by the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive. Original record: https://carol.ntsb.gov/event/20001212X22520. This page is a structured re-presentation; facts and quotes are in the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), United States.

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