Accident Overview
A pilot returning from initial instrument flight training made an emergency landing in a plowed field after encountering icing conditions during a flight from Ohio to Connecticut. The pilot had attended training at a facility in Ohio for two weeks prior to the accident but was unable to complete the course and decided to fly home.
In-Flight Events
During the en route portion of the flight, the pilot contacted air traffic control (ATC) to request flight following advisories and information about cloud conditions ahead. He also contacted a flight service station (FSS) for additional weather advisories. While speaking with the FSS specialist, the pilot reported being in level flight at 3,300 feet, flying in and out of clouds, and experiencing light icing. The specialist informed the pilot of instrument meteorological conditions along the route, mountain obscuration, and icing conditions, and recommended climbing to 6,000 feet where visual flight rules (VFR) conditions could be expected. The pilot responded that his flight conditions were "not that bad" and he would remain at 3,300 feet.
Icing and Descent
After the weather advisory was terminated, the pilot re-contacted the ATC controller requesting a climb due to rime ice accumulation. The controller relayed that another aircraft had reported ice at 7,000 feet and another reported cloud tops at 7,400 feet. The pilot then stated he could not maintain VFR and had been in instrument conditions for 10-15 minutes. He added that he was getting some ice buildup but was "ok" with it.
Radar and Witness Observations
Shortly after the pilot's last transmission, the controller observed the accident airplane's target disappear from the radar screen. No further radio calls were received from the pilot. A witness living less than a quarter mile from the accident site observed the airplane descending out of the clouds, heading south. The airplane passed overhead just above the treetops, made a 180-degree right turn, and descended into a field. The airplane touched down hard and came to rest upright in the soft, plowed field.
Weather Conditions
Witnesses reported low cloud cover and mixed precipitation consisting of ice and snow around the time of the accident.