NTSB Factual Report

On November 30, 2002, at 1600 Pacific standard time, a Piper PA-46-350P, N9260P, registered to and operated by the pilot as a 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight, was substantially damaged during a hard landing at the Tri-Cities Airport, Pasco, Washington. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and an instrument flight rules flight plan was filed. The private pilot and his five passengers were not injured. The flight departed from Portland, Oregon, about one hour prior to the accident.

In a written statement, the pilot reported that while being vectored to the Instrument Landing System (ILS) for runway 21 right, he descended from 11,000 feet to 2,500 feet. The aircraft started picking up moderate to severe mixed icing at 2,500 feet. The pilot reported this to the air traffic controller and was subsequently cleared to climb to 3,000 feet. The pilot cycled the de-icing boots and turned on the windshield heat. The pilot stated that most of the ice then cleared. The pilot was then instructed by air traffic control to descend to 2,500 feet until established on the ILS localizer. The aircraft broke out of the clouds at about 400 feet and the pilot had the airport in sight at about 1/4 of a mile out. The pilot stated that he accomplished the pre-landing check and everything was normal. When the aircraft was over the runway numbers, at 85 knots and about ten feet above the runway, the aircraft unexpectedly stalled. The pilot added full power, however, the right main landing gear touched down hard and the right wing tip contacted the runway surface. The landing was completed and the pilot taxied the airplane to the hangar. After exiting the aircraft the pilot noted that most of the airframe was moderately to severely covered with ice, to include the leading edges of the vertical and horizontal stabilizers, and the propeller spinner.

Inspection of the aircraft by a Federal Aviation Administration Inspector from the Spokane, Washington, Flight Standards District Office, reported that the right main landing gear strut was displaced outboard. The bottom of the right wing tip was scraped and the top of the wing surface was wrinkled back to the outboard aileron hinge. The top surface and leading edge of the wing above and forward of the right main landing gear was also wrinkled. The top and sides of the fuselage was buckled just aft of the rear seats.

NTSB Probable Cause

Icing conditions and the pilot's failure to maintain adequate airspeed during the landing. An inadvertent stall was a factor.