No fatalities

21 Dec 2010: CESSNA 340A — WISCONSIN AVIATION INC — Madison, WI

Madison, WI, United States

On 21 Dec 2010, a CESSNA 340A operated by WISCONSIN AVIATION INC was involved in an aviation accident near Madison, WI. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's failure to maintain adequate airspeed during the approach, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall. This summary draws on records from NTSB; 12 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

SourcesNTSBPrimary reportUpdated 1778583330Data APIEditorial standards

During an instrument approach, the pilot encountered windshield icing and attempted a landing by looking out the side window. The airplane stalled at 15 feet and experienced a hard landing, buckling the forward fuselage. The de-ice fluid tank was found empty.

Incident Overview

The pilot reported that after two unsuccessful landing attempts at the original destination airport due to weather conditions, he decided to return to the departure airport. While conducting an instrument approach to the runway, the windshield became covered with ice. The de-ice system was unable to clear the windshield.

Approach and Landing

Unable to see through the windshield, the pilot attempted to land by looking out the left side window. At approximately 15 feet above the runway, the pilot observed that the airspeed was about 85 knots, and the airplane entered a stall. The pilot added engine power, but the airplane subsequently made a hard landing on the runway.

Post-Landing Examination

Examination of the airplane revealed that the forward fuselage was buckled. The de-ice fluid tank was found empty. No mechanical anomalies were identified with the airplane.

Pilot Report

The pilot stated that he did not check the fluid level in the de-ice tank during the pre-flight inspection.

Contributing factors

Airspeed — Not attained/maintainedPilot