NTSB Factual Report

On April 2, 2005, at 1630 eastern standard time, a Cessna 182N, N3292S, was substantially damaged when it impacted terrain during an instrument approach to the Marion Municipal Airport (MNN), Marion, Ohio, following an encounter with in-flight icing. The certificated private pilot and three passengers were not injured. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed, and an instrument flight rules flight plan was filed for the flight which departed the Morgantown Municipal Airport (MGW), Morgantown, West Virginia, about 1430, destined for the Toledo Suburban Airport (DUH), Lambertville, Michigan. The personal flight was conducted under 14 CFR Part 91.

At approximately 1130 eastern standard time the pilot received a telephonic weather briefing from the Elkins Automated Flight Service Station. He was advised of a low-pressure area that was over the state of West Virginia, that was moving to the east, with moisture that stretched across the state of Ohio. He was also informed "advisories are out there for icing, occasional moderate rime or mixed icing in clouds." Additionally, he was told that the freezing level at Pittsburgh Pennsylvania was at 6,000 feet, and that "Cleveland is a little bit lower, because I've got minus 4 at 6,000 over Cleveland."

A review of air traffic control tapes revealed that between the hours of 1500 and 1543, after radio communications were first established, the approach controller at the Akron-Canton Terminal Radar Approach Control facility advised the pilot of reports of light clear icing at 4,000 feet. The pilot responded, "we had a little bit earlier, but it seems to have melted off." The approach controller queried another aircraft on the frequency as to whether they were accreting any ice. They replied that they were accreting very light rime ice while at 3,500 feet, and that the temperature was -4 degrees Celsius.

Later in the flight, the pilot was told to climb to 5,000 feet to avoid other air traffic. He subsequently advised the approach controller, "we're picking up a little ice here, we were ok at 4,000." The air traffic controller then coordinated a descent for the pilot to 4,100 feet, and after a second request, to 3,100 feet.

About 40 nautical miles south of the Mansfield Lahm Regional Airport (MFD), Mansfield, Ohio, the pilot elected to divert to MFD. He was told by the approach controller that approximately 3 to 5 inches of snow had accumulated on the runway. The pilot then asked the approach controller for another airport to divert to and was directed to MNN for the GPS Runway 24 approach.

According to the pilot, while on the approach for runway 24, he extended the flaps at approximately 100 feet above ground level, and the airplane began descending at a rate that he could not arrest. The airplane impacted the ground about 250 feet short of the runway in a wings level attitude. During the impact, the nose wheel dug into the ground, and the airplane nosed over, coming to rest inverted, about 100 feet from the approach end of the runway.

During a telephone interview, the pilot stated that during the flight, he observed conglomerate ice adhering to the airframe, the windshield was covered at least 50 percent with ice, and the autopilot kept trimming "nose up."

The director of aviation for MNN stated during a telephone interview, that at the time of the accident, very wet, large snowflakes were falling at the airport. When he arrived at the accident site, about 5 to 6 minutes after it had occurred, he estimated that the airplane's leading edges were covered with 1 to 1.5 inches of ice.

A review of the emergency procedures section of the owners manual revealed that, "although flying into known icing conditions is prohibited," the pilot during an unexpected icing encounter, should "plan a landing at the nearest airport," "be prepared for significantly higher stall speed," and to "leave wing flaps retracted."

A weather observation taken at MNN, about 7 minutes after the accident, recorded the winds as 340 degrees at 21 knots, gusting to 29 knots, 4 statute miles visibility in unknown precipitation and mist, overcast clouds at 700 feet, temperature 36 degrees Fahrenheit, dew point 34 degrees Fahrenheit, and an altimeter setting of 29.61 inches of mercury.

NTSB Probable Cause

The pilot's inadequate in-flight planning/decision which resulted in an encounter with icing conditions and the accretion of ice on the airframe. Also causal was the pilot's improper setting of the flaps in icing conditions in accordance with operating procedures which resulted in a stall/mush.