Flight History
During the flight, the pilot informed air traffic control (ATC) that he was encountering carburetor ice and could not maintain his assigned altitude of 14,000 feet. He was cleared to descend to 10,000 feet. Approximately two minutes later, the pilot reported that he had virtually no power remaining and could not hold 10,000 feet. ATC advised that he was in terrain with a 10,000-foot elevation.
In response to an ATC query, the pilot stated he was attempting to use carburetor heat but that the engine lost what little power it was producing when he applied it. The aircraft subsequently impacted steep, snow-covered terrain about 100 feet below the top of a rock ridge.
Weather Briefing
Earlier, the pilot had reported picking up a trace of rime ice. During his preflight weather briefing, the pilot was advised that the forecast for his route included occasional moderate rime or mixed icing in clouds and precipitation between 4,000 and 12,000 feet. The briefing also noted that a moist unstable air mass with cloud tops reaching 20,000 feet would be approaching western Washington in the late afternoon.
Accident Sequence
No further communications were received from the pilot after the report of power loss. The aircraft came to rest on the ridgeline. The accident occurred in mountainous terrain.