Overview
At night, an airline transport pilot departed in a four-seat airplane carrying a total of five people. The pilot received a preflight weather briefing that indicated instrument meteorological conditions (IMC) along the route of flight associated with a cold front. The briefer issued flight precautions for moderate rime and mixed icing along the entire route of flight.
Flight Details
The pilot elected to depart under visual flight rules (VFR) and subsequently air-filed an instrument flight plan. During the flight, he received several inflight weather briefings that gave low IFR conditions at his destination and surface temperatures just above freezing. He elected to continue the flight.
Icing Encounter
The airplane began to collect ice. The pilot was unable to maintain altitude due to the ice accretion and ultimately descended into trees and terrain.
Aircraft Information
The airplane was not certificated for flight into icing conditions and was not fitted with any airfoil or propeller deice or anti-icing equipment.