History of Flight
On December 20, 2011, at approximately 1005 eastern standard time, a Socata TBM 700, registered as N731CA, collided with terrain following an in-flight loss of aircraft control near Morristown, New Jersey. The flight originated from Teterboro, New Jersey (TEB) at about 0950, destined for Atlanta, Georgia (PDK). An instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan had been filed, and visual meteorological conditions prevailed at departure.
During the departure climb, air traffic control (ATC) advised the pilot of moderate rime icing between 15,000 and 17,000 feet. The pilot acknowledged and reported entering instrument meteorological conditions (IMC) while climbing. At 1002:17, the pilot confirmed light icing and requested a higher altitude. At 1002:34, he reported a "rattle" and asked to climb as soon as possible. The controller cleared him to FL200. At 1004:08, the aircraft reached 17,800 feet before turning left and descending. At 1004:29, the pilot began a distress call that was incomplete. The final radar return at 1005:17 showed an altitude of 2,000 feet. Witnesses observed the aircraft descending rapidly, trailing smoke, and saw pieces separate in flight, including a detached wing.
Personnel
The pilot, age 45, held a private pilot certificate with ratings for airplane single-engine land and instrument airplane. He reported 1,400 total flight hours on his latest medical certificate application dated July 14, 2011. His personal logbooks were not located after the accident. He completed a TBM 700 recurrent training course at SIMCOM Training Center on November 15, 2011, which included ground and simulator training on ice protection systems and emergency procedures.
Aircraft Information
The airplane was a 2005 Socata TBM 700, equipped with a single Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-64 turboprop engine. It was issued a Standard Airworthiness Certificate on September 22, 2005, and registered to Cool Stream LLC on October 25, 2005. The most recent annual inspection was performed on July 27, 2011, at which time the aircraft had accumulated about 702.0 total flight hours. The last logbook entry recorded an aircraft total time of 724.6 hours on November 18, 2011.
Meteorological Information
The pilot did not access weather services or receive a telephone weather briefing prior to the flight. An AIRMET advisory (ZULU) issued at 0945 advised of moderate icing between the freezing level (2,000 to 8,000 feet) and FL200. Earlier AIRMETs and numerous pilot reports indicated moderate to severe rime icing in the region. One pilot described the icing as the worst in 38 years, with golf ball-sized accumulation. Another reported that the wing anti-ice system could not "keep up," with up to 2.5 inches of ice on protected surfaces and 4 inches on unprotected areas.
Wreckage and Impact
The airplane impacted the paved surfaces and a wooded median on Interstate Highway 287. The main wreckage debris field was about 350 feet long, oriented on a heading of about 070 degrees. A post-crash fire ensued. The outboard section of the right wing and several pieces of the empennage were found about 0.2 nautical miles southwest of the main wreckage. Examination revealed no pre-accident mechanical malfunctions or anomalies. De-ice system switches for airframe, propeller, pitot heat, and stall warning were found in the ON position; ice inspection light, windshield de-ice, and inertial separator switches were OFF. Evidence indicated that the right wing contacted the right horizontal stabilizer and rudder in flight, consistent with an in-flight collision. The engine showed contact signatures from a high-speed impact.
Medical and Pathological
A postmortem examination of the pilot determined the cause of death as multiple injuries. Forensic toxicology testing was negative for ethanol and drugs.
Probable Cause
The source does not provide a stated probable cause; therefore, none is assigned.