Accident Overview
On March 15, 2013, at approximately 1910 central daylight time, a Piper PA23-250, registration N6222M, impacted terrain during a forced landing following a loss of engine power on the right engine. The aircraft was registered to West Metro Aviation LLC and operated by Tri-State Drilling under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a business flight. The flight originated from Jamestown Regional Airport (JMS), Jamestown, North Dakota, at 1809, and was en route to Buffalo Municipal Airport (CFE), Buffalo, Minnesota. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed, and the flight operated on an instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan.
Flight History
The pilot reported that takeoff, climb, and cruise were uneventful. As the airplane descended from 9,000 feet above mean sea level (msl), it entered clouds at 7,500 feet msl and began to experience rain at 7,000 feet msl. Outside air temperatures were about 50 degrees Fahrenheit. Between 5,000 feet msl and 3,300 feet msl, moderate to severe icing was encountered. The pilot activated the airframe de-icing system four to six times before descending below the clouds at 3,300 feet msl. He could not see through the windshield due to thick ice but had good visibility to each side. Shortly after cancelling the IFR flight plan, the right engine lost power. The pilot attempted to restart the engine, switching fuel tanks, activating the alternate air system, and using hot and cold start procedures, all unsuccessful. He then attempted to fly to an alternate airport but landed short due to ice accumulation on the airframe.
Post-Accident Examination
Examination of the airplane revealed icing of the induction air intake and air filter on both engines. The right induction air filter was 100 percent obstructed, and the left induction air filter was about 35 percent obstructed. No further anomalies were found with respect to either engine. An electronic engine monitor was installed but lacked recording capability. There were no injuries to the pilot or five passengers. The aircraft sustained substantial damage to the fuselage during the forced landing.