OGALLALA, NE, USA
N6687U
BEECH A36
THE PILOT PERFORMED AN INSTRUMENT APPROACH TO RUNWAY 26 AT THE DESTINATION AIRPORT DURING A HEAVY SNOWSTORM WITH THE WIND FROM 320 DEG AT 40 GUSTING 60 KTS. AFTER CONSIDERING HIS ALTITUDE ABOVE THE RUNWAY AND THE WINDS, THE PILOT ELECTED TO CIRCLE AND LAND ON RUNWAY 31. HE STATED THAT AS HE BEGAN HIS LEFT TURN, HE LOST CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE. HE REPORTED THAT IN SPITE OF HIS ATTEMPTS TO REGAIN CONTROL, THE AIRPLANE DESCENDED AND IMPACTED THE GROUND. THE PILOT STATED THAT THE AIRPLANE WAS ICING UP QUICKLY DURING THE APPROACH. THERE WAS NO CLAIM OR EVIDENCE OF MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION. STRONG, GUSTY SURFACE WINDS HAD BEEN PREDICTED FOR THE AREA, AND THE PILOT HAD OBTAINED SEVERAL PREFLIGHT WEATHER BRIEFINGS.
IMPROPER PLANNING/DECISION BY THE PILOT AND THE LACK OF SUFFICIENT AIRSPEED TO MANEUVER (CIRCLE TO LAND) IN UNFAVORABLE WIND CONDITIONS WITH STRUCTURAL ICE ON THE AIRCRAFT. THE ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS AND STRUCTURAL (WING) ICE WERE RELATED FACTORS.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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