On November 15, 2005, a Cessna T310R (registration N5094C) operated by Airmax Airlines was involved in an aviation accident near Fergus Falls, MN. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The presence of wing ice during landing. Contributing factors were the icing conditions and flight into known adverse weather by the pilot. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
An on-demand cargo airplane impacted terrain after a hard landing and veered off the runway. Instrument meteorological and icing conditions prevailed. Inspections found ice on the wings and stabilizers. The aircraft was certified for flight into icing, and the pilot reported activating the deice system.
Accident Overview
An on-demand cargo airplane impacted terrain after a hard landing and subsequently veered off the landing runway. The accident occurred during instrument meteorological and icing conditions. The pilot later stated that he had activated the deice system during the flight.
Inspection Findings
A post-accident inspection of the airplane revealed 1 1/2 to 2 inches of ice on the right wing, as well as on the vertical and horizontal stabilizers. The left wing had a lesser thickness of ice compared to the right wing. The airplane was certified for flight into icing conditions.
Conditions and Operations
Instrument meteorological and icing conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The pilot reported activating the deice system during flight, but significant ice accumulation was still present on the airframe after the accident. No further details about the flight or the pilot's actions were provided in the source.