What aircraft was involved and where did it happen?

The accident on 1999-12-23 involved a Piper PA-34-220T, registration N8417A, at Alexandria, MN.

What was the probable cause of the accident?

The pilot's inadequate inflight decision to continue flight into icing conditions. An additional cause was the directional control not maintained by the pilot. Contributing factors were the viewable area of the aircraft's heated windshield panel, in-flight icing conditions, the snow covered runway, haze, runway edge…

PA-34 Veers Off Snow-Covered Runway, Hits Runway Lights and Sign (N8417A)

On December 23, 1999, a Piper PA-34-220T (registration N8417A) was involved in an aviation accident near Alexandria, MN. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's inadequate inflight decision to continue flight into icing conditions. An additional cause was the directional control not maintained by the pilot. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.

During landing rollout, a PA-34 veered off a snow-covered runway and struck runway lights and a sign. The windshield had ice accumulation, and the pilot had received a Center Weather Advisory for severe icing.

Incident Details

During the landing rollout, the airplane departed the snow-covered runway surface and collided with runway lights and a sign. The event occurred after touchdown on a snow-covered runway. The aircraft was a standard PA-34.

Weather Information

While en route to the destination airport, the pilot was issued a Center Weather Advisory (CWA). The advisory indicated patchy severe mixed icing in clouds and precipitation, with a possibility of severe clear icing.

Windshield Ice Accumulation

Following the incident, the airplane's windshield was found to have an ice accumulation measuring between 1/8 and 1/4 inch. The left and right side pilot windshields of the standard PA-34 were noted to have rectangular areas approximately 23 inches by 32 inches. The heated windshield plate area measured roughly 3-1/2 inches by 7-1/2 inches.

Aircraft Configuration

The standard PA-34 features windshield heating elements that cover a specific area. The heated portion was significantly smaller than the full windshield panel, which may have allowed ice to accumulate outside the heated zone.

1999-12-23: Piper PA-34-220T (N8417A) — Alexandria, MN