Aftermath: The Audacity of Hope

Peter Garrison

Friday, September 30, 2011 at 07:24 PM ET

Verified

Key Takeaways:

A pilot, eager to reach his destination, flew an aircraft not approved for icing into severe forecasted icing conditions, despite a detailed pre-flight briefing outlining the risks.
During the ILS approach, the pilot likely encountered severe airframe icing and disorientation, struggling to intercept the localizer, descending late and too steeply, further complicated by a strong crosswind.
The ice-laden aircraft eventually stalled during an attempted correction or climb, leading to a fatal crash, underscoring the dangers of inadequate preparation, flying into known hazards, and the compounding effects of stress and disorientation.

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(September 2011) It was the Friday before Christmas, and the pilot-owner of a Piper Saratoga was eager to get home for a party. At 2:30 in the afternoon he called Flight Service to brief a flight from College Park, Maryland, to Akron-Canton Airport (CAK) in Ohio, 240 nm distant. He said he hoped to take off as early as 3, and so the briefer asked whether he wanted a full standard briefing or just the highlights.

“I don’t want to waste your time,” said the pilot, transferring to the briefer a concern that was more likely his own. “Let’s figure out if this sounds like a suicide mission or not, and then we’ll go from there.”