PIPER AIRCRAFT INC PA-28-161 near Vik — 2008-02-21

Probable cause

The pilot's decision to fly into an area of forecast weather suitable for structural icing. Contributing to the accident was the effect of the structural icing encountered.

NTSB narrative

The pilot was asked by a ferry company representative to delay his flight until the icing weather had cleared from the route of flight. The pilot was handed a weather briefing by a dispatcher during the pilot’s preflight weather briefing. The briefing included the significant low level weather chart indicating icing from 7,000 above mean sea level. The pilot reportedly elected to depart on the day of the accident flight. During the ferry flight over the Atlantic Ocean, the pilot relayed through other aircraft to air traffic control that he encountered icing and a loss of engine power. The pilot descended from his cruise flight level of 11,000 feet above mean sea level. An emergency locater transmitter signal associated with the airplane was detected by a satellite in the area. Search and rescue operations did not locate the airplane or pilot.

NTSB coding

• Structural icing · Enroute-cruise
• Decision Making / Judgment

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