Incident Overview
A pilot reported that she checked weather conditions before departing on a cross-country flight and believed an area of icing had cleared near the destination airport. While descending through 4,000 feet in the vicinity of the destination, the airplane began accumulating ice rapidly. The pilot notified air traffic control and cycled the deice boots multiple times in response.
Landing and Damage
Unable to determine the amount of ice on the airplane, the pilot conducted the landing approach using normal approach speeds. The airplane touched down hard, resulting in substantial damage to the internal structure of the left wing. After landing, ice was visible along the leading edge of the wings.
Pilot's Comments
The pilot stated that she should have maintained a higher airspeed during the approach and landing.