Incident Overview
During a flight, the pilot contacted ARTCC and stated that he needed a lower altitude due to encountering icing conditions. Air Traffic Control subsequently assigned several altitude changes. Ultimately, the pilot was assigned a block altitude from 12,000 feet to 13,000 feet. The pilot later reported that they were in serious icing conditions, and the controller cleared the pilot to an altitude of 11,000 feet. Shortly thereafter, voice and radar communications with the airplane were lost.
Wreckage and Scene Evidence
The wreckage was located scattered over a 1.5-mile area between Colorado and Wyoming. Signatures at the scene showed evidence consistent with a ground impact deployment of the parachute recovery system, resulting in fragmentation of the airplane as it was dragged by high winds. An examination of the remaining airplane systems revealed no anomalies.
Weather Conditions
Thunderstorm activity existed along the route of flight, along with severe icing and turbulence. The pilot had not obtained a full weather briefing prior to the flight.
Investigation
The investigation did not state a probable cause. The examination of the aircraft systems found no pre-impact anomalies.