Truckee TBM 960 Crash in Icing Conditions 30 March 2024

Summary

A 2022 Daher TBM 960 aircraft crashed at Truckee Airport during an instrument approach in icy conditions with visibility below minimums. The flight was on autopilot, attempting a missed approach when it spiraled into a crash at nearly 11,000 ft per minute. The accident resulted in two fatalities and raised concerns about the aircraft's anti-icing capabilities and the pilot's decision to attempt the approach in severe weather, highlighting the risks of flying in such conditions.

Takeaways

• ✈️ A 2022 Daher TBM 960 aircraft crashed at Truckee Airport during an instrument approach in icing conditions.
• 🌨️ The weather at the time was below minimums with calm winds, low visibility, and snowing conditions.
• 🛫 The aircraft departed from Denver's Centennial Airport and was returning to Truckee, where it was based.
• 😔 The crash resulted in two fatalities, with both occupants of the aircraft losing their lives.
• 📉 The ADS-B data showed the aircraft attempted a missed approach, climbing briefly before losing control.
• 🗺️ The aircraft's flight path involved a right-hand turn during the missed approach, followed by a rapid descent.
• 🧊 Severe icing conditions were likely a contributing factor, potentially overwhelming the aircraft's deicing capabilities.
• 📡 The aircraft was on autopilot throughout most of the flight, which can mask changing aerodynamic conditions due to icing.
• 📉 The aircraft crashed onto railroad tracks near the airport after failing to climb adequately during the missed approach.
• 📑 Investigators will look into whether icing or loss of control was the primary cause of the accident, along with the pilot's experience and the aircraft's recent flight history.

Q & A

What type of aircraft was involved in the accident at Truckee Airport?

A 2022 Daher TBM 960, a single-engine turboprop aircraft.

What was the owner-operator of the aircraft?

The owner-operator was Avam Enterprises LLC.

What was the tail number of the aircraft?

The tail number was November 960 Lima Papa.

How many fatalities were there in the accident?

There were two fatalities, both occupants on board.

Where did the aircraft depart from before the accident?

The aircraft departed from Denver's Centennial Airport.

What was the aircraft attempting when the accident occurred?

The aircraft was attempting an instrument approach in icing conditions with weather below minimums.

What was the weather condition at the time of the accident?

The weather was reported as calm winds, 1/2 mile visibility, snowing, overcast at 900 feet, with a temperature of -1°C and a dew point of -1°C.

What was the aircraft's final position before the crash?

The aircraft was found on the railroad tracks next to Glennshire Drive and Olympic Boulevard, just north of the airport.

What approach procedure was the aircraft following before the accident?

The aircraft was following the LP (Localizer Performance) MDA approach for Runway 20 at Truckee Airport.

What are the minimum visibility requirements for the LP MDA approach at Truckee Airport?

The minimum visibility requirement for the LP MDA approach is 1 mile.

What was the reported visibility at the time of the accident compared to the approach requirement?

The reported visibility at the time of the accident was 1/2 mile, which is below the required 1 mile for the LP MDA approach.

What is the significance of the airworthiness directive 98422 mentioned in the script?

Airworthiness directive 98422 provides guidelines on the hazards of flying in icing conditions, especially when the conditions exceed those for which the airplane is certified.

Why is the use of autopilot prohibited in severe icing conditions according to the directive?

The use of autopilot is prohibited in severe icing conditions because it may mask the tactile cues that indicate adverse changes in the handling characteristics of the aircraft, leading to potential loss of control.

What is the aircraft's anti-icing and deicing capability?

The aircraft is equipped with de-ice boots for flying into known icing conditions and an automatic deicing system that can turn on all anti-icing and deicing equipment if needed.

What is the potential risk of flying in severe icing conditions for turboprop aircraft?

Turboprop aircraft are generally subjected to heavier icing conditions than other types of aircraft, and the same icing conditions that may be moderate or light for an airliner can quickly develop into severe icing for a turboprop, potentially overwhelming the aircraft's anti-icing and deicing systems.

Outlines

00:00

🛩️ Aviation Accident Report: TBM 960 Crash at Truckee Airport

The script details a tragic aviation accident involving a 2022 Dahr TBM 960 aircraft that crashed at Truckee Airport during an instrument approach in icing conditions with weather below minimums. The aircraft, owned by Avam Enterprises LLC, was attempting to return to its home airport when the accident occurred. The pilot, Juan Brown, discusses the accident's timeline, the aircraft's autopilot engagement, and the challenging mountain instrument approach that led to a stall and crash. The data from Flight Radar 24 and ADS-B Exchange indicates the aircraft's flight path, descent, and climb before the crash. The weather conditions, including calm winds, half a mile visibility, and snow, are noted, along with the aircraft's final moments captured by Flyware.

05:01

📊 Analysis of the Accident Flight Path and Approach Procedure

This paragraph delves into the flight data analysis, highlighting the aircraft's performance during the missed approach procedure. The script discusses the localizer performance MDA approach, the aircraft's autopilot modes, and the weather conditions at the time of the accident. It mentions the aircraft's struggle to climb out of the valley, the restrictions on circling approaches at night, and the potential issues with severe icing conditions. The use of Google Earth and KML data to visualize the flight path and the aircraft's maneuvers before losing control is also described.

10:08

❄️ The Role of Icing Conditions in the Accident Investigation

The script focuses on the potential role of severe icing conditions in the accident. It discusses the aircraft's anti-icing and deicing capabilities, the limitations of flying in known icing conditions, and the airworthiness directive that advises against flying in severe icing conditions with the autopilot engaged. The hazards of severe icing are emphasized, including the risk of autopilot disconnection and the increased stall speed due to ice accumulation. The aircraft's flight history and the pilot's experience are highlighted as crucial factors for the investigation.

15:10

🚁 A Closer Look at the TBM 960 and its Avionics

This paragraph provides an overview of the TBM 960, a single-engine turboprop aircraft equipped with advanced avionics and anti-icing systems. The script discusses the aircraft's capabilities for single-pilot IFR operations and its automatic deicing system. It also mentions the Garmin 3000 Series avionics and the challenges of flying in the weather conditions present at Truckee Airport on the day of the accident. The airworthiness directive 98422 is referenced, providing a reminder of the importance of visual cues and the prohibition of autopilot use in severe icing conditions.

Keywords

💡TBM 960

The TBM 960 is a model of single-engine turboprop aircraft produced by Daher. It is known for its advanced avionics and performance capabilities suitable for single-pilot IFR operations. In the video's context, the TBM 960 is the aircraft involved in the accident at Truckee Airport, highlighting its significance in the narrative.

💡Instrument Approach

An instrument approach is a set of procedures that allow an aircraft to approach and land at an airport under instrument flight rules (IFR), typically in low visibility conditions. The video discusses an 'RNAV GPS approach' which the TBM 960 was executing before the accident, emphasizing the complexity and importance of such procedures in aviation safety.

💡Missed Approach

A missed approach is a maneuver performed when an aircraft is unable to land and must go around to attempt another landing. The script describes the aircraft's missed approach after the RNAV GPS approach, which is a critical part of the accident sequence and understanding the events leading to the crash.

💡Icing Conditions

Icing conditions refer to atmospheric conditions where supercooled droplets of water freeze upon contact with an aircraft's surfaces, forming ice. The video mentions that the aircraft was in icing conditions, which is a significant factor in aviation safety as it can severely affect an aircraft's performance and handling.

💡Autopilot

Autopilot is a system used to control the aircraft's flight without constant manual input from the pilot. The script discusses the use of autopilot during the flight and its potential role in the accident, underlining the reliance on technology in modern aviation.

💡Localizer Performance MDA

Localizer Performance MDA (Minimum Descent Altitude) is a term used in aviation to denote the minimum altitude to which an aircraft can descend during an instrument approach using a localizer. The video explains that the aircraft was flying an LP MDA approach, which is crucial to understanding the altitude and procedures followed during the approach.

💡Airworthiness Directive

An airworthiness directive is a regulation issued by an aviation authority to address safety issues with aircraft. The video references Airworthiness Directive 98422, which pertains to flying in icing conditions, and its relevance to the investigation of the accident.

💡Stall

A stall is a condition in flight where the wing of an aircraft is no longer producing enough lift to maintain level flight, causing a rapid decrease in airspeed and altitude. The script suggests that the aircraft may have entered a stall during the missed approach, which is a critical concept in understanding the dynamics of the crash.

💡ADSB (Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast)

ADSB is a technology used in aviation for tracking the position of aircraft. The video uses ADSB track data to analyze the aircraft's flight path before the accident, demonstrating the importance of this technology in accident investigation and flight tracking.

💡Glennshire Drive and Olympic Boulevard

These are geographical references to the location where the aircraft was found after the accident. The script mentions these landmarks to provide context to the crash site, which is important for understanding the spatial aspects of the accident.

💡High Sierra

The High Sierra refers to the mountain range in California where the Truckee Airport is located. The video mentions the High Sierra to describe the challenging terrain surrounding the airport, which is a key factor in understanding the operational environment and potential flight hazards.

Highlights

A 2022 Daher TBM 960 aircraft crashed at Truckee Airport during an instrument approach in icing conditions with weather below minimums.

The accident occurred during the missed approach portion of the instrument approach procedure.

The aircraft, owned by Avam Enterprises LLC, was destroyed with two fatalities on board.

The aircraft departed from Denver's Centennial Airport and was attempting to return to Truckee, California.

ADSB track data indicates the aircraft stopped its descent at 6,500 ft and then climbed to 7,200 ft before the crash.

The aircraft was on autopilot throughout most of the flight, including during the approach and missed approach.

Truckee Airport is located in the High Sierra, surrounded by higher terrain, posing challenges for pilots.

Weather at the time of the accident included calm winds, 1/2 mile visibility, snowing, and overcast at 900 ft.

The aircraft was found on railroad tracks next to Glennshire Drive and Olympic Boulevard, just north of the airport.

The pilot was attempting an LP MDA approach, which brings the aircraft down to 6,480 ft regardless of category.

The weather conditions at the time were below the minimums required for the instrument approach.

The aircraft's flight history suggests a lot of recent experience flying out of Truckee Airport.

The TBM 960 is a single-engine turboprop aircraft with advanced avionics and anti-icing/deicing capabilities.

The aircraft is not certified for severe icing conditions, which may have overwhelmed its anti-icing and deicing systems.

Airworthiness Directive 98422 advises against autopilot use in severe icing conditions due to the risk of sudden disconnect.

Investigators will look for perishable evidence of icing on the aircraft and the pilot's decision-making process.

The accident highlights the hazards of flying in icing conditions, even with aircraft equipped for such conditions.

Transcripts

breaking overnight a 2022 daher TBM 960

aircraft went down at the trucky airport

while attempting an instrument approach

in icing conditions with the weather

below minimums the accident occurred on

the missed approach portion of the

instrument approach procedure here's

what we know so far my name is Juan

Brown you're watching The Blanco Lio

channel it's Sunday the 31st of March

starting with the aviation safety

Network Saturday 30 March 2024 sakata

TBM 700n 960 avam Enterprises LLC is the

owner operator tail number November 960

Lima Papa a 2022 model of aircraft two

fatalities two occupants on board the

aircraft departed Denver's Centennial

Airport and was attempting to return

home to their home airport here at

trucky California where this aircraft is

apparently based a dahar TBM 700

airplane was destroyed when it was

involved in an accident near the trucky

airport two F alties at this point it

appears the aircraft was executing the

go round missed approach for Runway 20

following the use of the rnav GPS

approach via the way point wooda we'll

look at that in a moment this is the

same instrument approach that took that

led the crew of a Challenger jet um into

a series of pilot errors that led to a

stall crash situation in trucky a couple

of years ago this is a very tricky

Mountain instrument approach especially

in low visibility conditions the adsb

track data shows the aircraft stopped

its descend at 6,500 ft approximately a

half mile to the north of the airport

which is the uh LP that's localizer

performance MDA minimum altitude the

aircraft appears to then climb to an

altitude of only 7200 ft while making

180 degree turn overhead the airport to

a bearing of 010 which is the m approach

procedure the published M approach

procedure followed shortly by a left

hand stalling spiral into the crash

location at nearly 11,000 ft per

minute let's look at the data here at

Flight Radar 24 the flight departed at

Denver's Centennial Airport and was

attempting to return to the trucky

airport a total flight time of just over

3 hours about 3 hours and 15 minutes a

quick look at the graph data from

FlightAware 24 indicates to me that the

aircraft was on autopilot throughout

most if not all of this

flight looking over here on the adsb

exchange they're reporting that nav

modes at the time of the accident that

were being used by the aircraft were

autopilot on vertical nav approach and

lateral nav the trucky airport is

located here in the High Sierra just

north of Lake Tahoe in the Maris Valley

at about the 6,000 FT

elevation the accident aircraft was

found on the railroad tracks next to

glennshire drive and Olympic bullet

Boulevard just north of the

airport the trucky airport Martis Valley

is surrounded by much higher

terrain weather at the time of the

accident was reported calm winds one

half statue mile of visibility snowing

overcast at 900 temperature minus 01

celsi both temperature and dupoint minus

01 if we look at the last couple of data

points on flyware we see the aircraft

ascending on autopilot on the instrument

approach down to a minimum altitude of

6,475 Ft which is very close to the

minimum altitude for the instrument

approach which we'll look at in a minute

and then begin a misted approach

climbing to about 7,000 ft and starting

the right hand turn to the north with

the last data point here on flyware

being

7,175 ft climbing at 1,000 ft per minute

and 167 mph ground

speed if we zoom in on the data here on

the Flight Radar 24 we can see a fairly

stabilized approach though rather High

Ground speed coming into the Arnav on

Runway

20 about 800 feet per minute rate of

descent 123 knots 120 knots 110

knots starting the missed approach

climbing 7,000

ft well descending 320 ft per minute

right

there descending 1100 ft per minute at

7,000 ft this is on the right hand

missed approach going right over the

runway at

trucky 6,900 ft minus 1800 ft per minute

154 knots ground

speed minus 1,000 ft per minute gets it

leveled off starts a climb at 320 ft per

minute 155 knots ground speed still only

6,900

ft

832t per minute rate of climb, 1500t per

minute rate of climb still right around

7,000

ft 2300t per minute rate of

climb 144

knots 1300t per minute rate of climb 147

knots now we lose control of the

aircraft minus nearly 5,000 ft per

minute at 154 knots ground speed and

there's nearly 11,000 ft per minute down

at 140

knots last data

point here's the instrument approach for

the Arnav GPS Runway 20 at trucky first

off try's Tower is open only certain

hours of the day and closes very near to

the time of this accident this accident

occurred about 700 p.m. last night just

before Sunset and just right around the

time the tower was open or closed so

investigators will find out pretty quick

whether the tower was open or closed

they'll get any and all the ATC tapes

that they can get it appears that the

pilot was attempting the lp MDA approach

that's this localizer performance MDA

which brings you down to 6,480 Ft

regardless of which category you're in A

B C or D now the TBM should be able to

be a category A or B aircraft based on

its vref but the pilot was flying very

high speeds putting him up in the

category

C or better regardless the minimums for

this approach is 1 mile visibility and

the weather at the time was 1/ half mile

visibility so this is something you can

do in F part 91 it's assumed that this

was an F part 991 flight is that you are

allowed to take a peak or you are

allowed to attempt an instrument

approach even though the weather is

below minimums for that instrument

approach this is something that cannot

be done in the F part 121 Airline world

so as we learned from the Challenger

crash there's a lot of gotchas on this

approach it's localizer performance is

basically a non-precision approach it's

going to bring you down to a dive or

drive sort of condition and the visual

descent Point located right here just

7/10 of a mile from wub is going to put

you pretty high to complete the Final

Approach and landing on Runway 20 it's

going to put you at a 3 and 1/2 degree

visual Glide slope angle to add to the

complexity of this near Sunset the vaszi

for Runway 20 was notm closed so you

don't have the lights of the visual

approach lights to assist you for the

landing on Runway

20 now if you want a circle out of this

approach land on some of the other

runways well there's a lot of

restrictions on that as well circling up

here in the upper left corner circling

to Runway 211 and 29 not approved at

night well this was right at Sunset

circling not approved for category C

remember he's flying high higher speeds

than than uh the aircraft is capable of

possibly because of the icing

conditions circling not authorized for

category C south of Runway 29 and east

of Runway

20 another fine print item when local

altimeter settings not received the

entire procedure is not

authorized and another thing this this

approach brings you in at an angle to

Runway 20 you're coming in on a 182

inbound course to Runway 20 and you'll

you will be dropped off just left of the

runway as was found in his

tracks and here in the upper right we

see the missed approach the publish

missed approach procedure which it looks

like he was flying exactly missed

approach do not exceed 200 knots until

gr the idea is to do a climbing right

hand turned to gr climb right turned a

12,000 ft direct gr and and track 016 to

a WEA and hold and that's about where

the crash occurred was on the right hand

turn portion of the missed

approach if we take the KML data from

the adsb data and transpose it here on

to Google Earth we can get a good

picture of this flight path so here he

is on autopilot flying the Arnav 20

approach and it brings you

in just as the instrument approach

procedure explains to the left of Runway

20 and off at a bit of an angle and then

he commences the Mist approach procedure

as published and then loses control of

the aircraft right here crashing onto

the railroad tracks if we look at this

in

3D and tilt this

down we can see the aircraft just barely

beginning to climb not climbing much at

all during this entire missed approach

procedure which brings up another point

if he's using the localizer performance

MDA with this Aster you're taking it

down to 6,480 Ft you're down pretty deep

in the hole and that missed approach

requires a minimum climb of 270 ft per

nautical mile to 7700 ft so you got to

climb up and out of that Valley

quickly but looking at this Google Earth

data adsb data it appears that this was

a situation of a loss of aircraft

control and not a case of SE fit or

controlled flight into

terrain if we Bend The Heading around a

little

bit it's important that the aircraft

climb quickly and out to the right

because of the higher terrain located

just south of the airport so here we are

south of the airport looking to the

north where he starts his 180° turn to

the North and then losing control of the

aircraft somewhere right about in

here if we look at this aircraft's

flight history out of trucky it has been

flying a lot out of the trucky airport

so a lot of recency of experience which

investigators are going to need to find

out was this all just private flying by

the owner or is this aircraft on some

sort of a lease back is it being

chartered out is it being flown by other

Pilots or were all these flights flown

by the pilot that was involved in the

accident that's a lot of flying and a

lot of recency of flying

experience the aircraft involved in the

accident was this 2022 TBM 960 this is

one of

the latest model design aircraft single

engine turbo prop aircraft using the

pt6a engine and is very well equipped

for single pilot IFR operations some of

the most demanding flying out there in

aviation today looking at the Leading

Edge of the aircraft you can see the

anti-icing and deicing capability of

this aircraft this aircraft is equipped

with de ice boots so it can fly into

known icing conditions however these

aircraft are not to be flown in severe

icing conditions there's an

airworthiness directive that prevents

these aircraft from flying into severe

icing conditions the problem is

turboprop aircraft are generally

subjected to heavier icing conditions

than many other types of aircraft if you

get a pyre from an airliner type

aircraft about icing they're they might

report moderate or light icing whereas

for that same turbo or for a turbo prop

aircraft that same icing May quickly

develop into severe icing and the kind

of weather conditions we had here

yesterday could have easily developed

into severe icing

conditions the problem with severe icing

conditions on these aircraft is that the

icing conditions can simply overwhelm

the anti-icing and deicing capability of

the aircraft and also in this

airworthiness directive it is advised

that if you get into severe ice ing

conditions where icing is forming behind

the boots of the aircraft you are to

turn the autopilot off the big problem

with getting caught in icing conditions

with the autopilot on is the autopilot

can mask the conditions the flying

characteristics of the aircraft as the

ice continues to accumulate on the

aircraft faster than the anti-icing and

deicing systems can remove it the

aerodynamic characteristics of the

aircraft begin to change and the auto

aut pilot will continue to fight that

until which point the autopilot can no

longer handle the out ofrim condition

and the autopilot will suddenly

disconnect from the aircraft and it's

quite easy or quite possible that to get

the aircraft into a stalled condition at

a very high air speed in icing

conditions because that's one of the

first things icing conditions does is

raises your stall speed increases your

stall speed and or you can get into a

stall of the tail of the aircraft as

well now this is one of the neat

features I found in this particular

aircraft it it does have an automatic

deicing system and this is one of the

great things about this design is it's

made a lot of things very automatic to

ease the pilot workload in these sort of

conditions including an automatic

deicing system on board the aircraft

which will effectively turn on all your

anti-icing and deicing equipment if in

the event the pilot forget gets to

because he may very well be overloaded

with all the things he has to deal with

as a single Pilot Flying an IFR

conditions this aircraft also comes

complete with all the very latest Garmin

3000 Series of avionics to help you deal

with instrument flying

conditions but the weather conditions

out of trucky yesterday were very

conducive to icing conditions and

potential severe icing conditions with

this low pressure area located just off

the coast pumping in moisture cold

moisture from the north coming around

and wrapping

up and spilling moisture and icing right

over the trucky airport area in the High

Sierra here's a copy of that

airworthiness directive

98422 and is just a great reminder for

all of us about the hazards of flying in

icing conditions even with an aircraft

that is capable of flying in icing

conditions

during severe icing conditions that

exceed those for which the airplane is

certified shall be determined by the

following visual cues accumulation of

ice on the upper surface of the wing

after the protected area unusually

extensive ice accumulation on the

airframe and windshield in areas that

are not normally observed to collect ice

since the autopilot when installed and

operating May mask the tactile cues that

indicate adverse changes in the handling

characteristics use of the autopilot is

prohibited when any of the visual cues

spe specified above exist or when

unusual lateral trim requirments or

autopilot trim warnings are encountered

while the airplane is in icing

conditions so they say if you get into

severe icing conditions if the autopilot

is engaged hold the control wheel firmly

and disengage the

autopilot and then you need to get out

of the icing conditions you shouldn't

even be getting yourself into these

icing conditions but it'll be up to

investigators to determine what sort of

information the pilot had at the time

before he attempted this instrument

approach into trucky California and

investigators will be looking for the

perishable evidence of icing airframe

Icing on the aircraft if First

Responders got any pictures of the

airframe shortly after it crashed that

could be a great help for investigators

to help determine if this icing was a

contributing factor to the crash or if

this was simply a loss of control of the

airc

while flying the Mist

approach thank you so much for your

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