Introduction
A post-accident investigation revealed that the airplane crashed on airport property after the pilot reported the airport in sight during a night instrument flight rules (IFR) approach.
Flight History
According to the pilot, the weather at the time of departure consisted of a 500-foot overcast ceiling and visibility restricted to 1.5 miles in freezing drizzle. During the en route climb, the pilot was unable to reach the assigned altitude of 9,000 feet due to structural icing. Additionally, the pilot reported an uncommanded decrease in revolutions per minute (RPM) in the left engine during the climb.
The pilot subsequently informed air traffic control that he could not maintain altitude and requested an immediate return to his departure airport. While maneuvering for landing, the airplane stalled as the pilot was turning from left base to final for the landing runway. The pilot recovered from the stall and decided to "place" the aircraft in a field. However, the pilot reported another stall "a few feet above the ground" and the airplane crashed.
Weather and Icing
The pilot's report indicated that the atmospheric conditions at departure included freezing drizzle. The pilot attributed the inability to reach the assigned altitude to structural icing on the aircraft.
Landing Attempt
After the initial stall on the base-to-final turn, the pilot regained control and elected to land in a field rather than continue to the runway. The subsequent stall at low altitude resulted in the impact with the ground.
Post-Accident Inspection
A post-accident inspection of the airframe revealed ice buildups on the leading edges of all airfoil surfaces and the underside of the wings. No mechanical defects were discovered in the left engine or propeller system.