Piper PA-32R-300 N5454F

Summary

On 9 March 1999 at about 23:30 local time, a Piper PA-32R-300 registered N5454F, operated by RAM Air Frieght, was involved in an accident near Richmond, Virginia, United States. One person was on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

9 March 1999 at 23:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Richmond, Virginia, United States

Nearest airport

Richmond Int. Airport (RIC)

Coordinates

37.4997, -77.3203

Aircraft

Piper PA-32R-300

Registration

N5454F

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

RAM Air Frieght

Operating rule

Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter

Purpose of flight

Unknown

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Newport News → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

IMC

Light

Dusk

NTSB number

NYC99LA073

Nobody was injured.

The pilot's inadequate preflight planning/preparation which resulted in flight into icing weather conditions. A factor related to the accident was restricted visibility through the icy windshield during landing.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot departed in VMC conditions towards the destination airport. As the flight progressed, the cloud base began to lower and the visibility decreased. Unable to maintain VFR, the pilot obtained an IFR clearance and was told to climb to 2,000, then to 4,000 feet. While climbing from 2,000 feet to 4,000 feet, ice accumulation was noticed on the windshield of the airplane. Level at 4,000 feet, the ice accumulation continued, and the airplane descended back to 2,000 feet where ice no longer accumulated. On approach, as the airplane descended through a cloud layer about 500 feet from the ground, the ice began to shed from the airplane. Due to ice remaining on the windshield, the pilot had difficulty judging the distance to the runway and had to look through the side window of the airplane to maintain visual reference with the ground. The airplane touched down on the runway hard, and the main landing gear pushed up through the wings. Records revealed that the pilot did not obtain a weather briefing from FSS. An AIRMET was issued for light occasional moderate rime and mixed icing in clouds and precipitation below 22,000 feet along the pilot's route of flight.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.