Cessna 340A accident near Waukesha, Wisconsin, February 25, 2017
On February 25, 2017, a 1979 Cessna 340A, registered N255BC, was substantially damaged in an accident during approach (IFR final approach) near Waukesha, Wisconsin (Waukesha County Airport). It was a positioning flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s decision to fly in in conditions conducive to structural icing and her subsequent failure to maintain airplane control during the instrument approach.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 25, 2017
- Place
- Waukesha, Wisconsin · Waukesha County Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 340A A, built 1979 · all 340As on the register
- Registration
- N255BC · registry record · serial 340A0908
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Positioning flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
Before the positioning flight, the airline transport pilot monitored the weather and noticed the weather conditions were deteriorating near the time of the planned departure. The weather conditions included low visibility, freezing drizzle, and mist. In an effort to reduce the time in the deteriorating weather conditions, the pilot performed some before takeoff checks while the airplane was in the hangar. During the pilot's "haste" to preflight and take off, she inadvertently selected the wrong switch for windshield heat. While on the instrument approach to the runway in night conditions, the pilot had no forward visibility due to ice accumulation on the windshield. The pilot executed a missed approach and contacted an instructor pilot at the departure airport to confirm the location of the windshield heat switch. The pilot then activated the windshield heat switch and enough ice had melted for the pilot to conduct another approach. During the approach, the pilot increased the airspeed due to "carrying a lot of ice." On short final approach, the airplane descended below the glidepath due to the ice accumulation. Subsequently, the airplane contacted the terrain short of the runway and then "skipped" onto the runway. The airplane came to rest upright and off the runway surface. Examination of the airplane revealed substantial damage to the left wing. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Loss of control in flight during approach (IFR final approach) defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during approach (IFR final approach)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Ceiling/visibility/precip › Freezing rain/sleet › Effect on equipment
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- cause Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Temp/humidity/pressure › Conducive to structural icing › Effect on equipment
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › (general) › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Pilot
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Use of equip/system › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 10,200 hours in all; 200 in this make and model; 60 in the last 90 days; 10,200 as pilot in command; 2,000 on instruments
- Last flight review: August 5, 2016
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,644 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 12, 2016
- Maximum gross weight: 6,390 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Cont Motor TSIO-520 NB (piston); 4,087 hours total
- Engine 2: Cont Motor TSIO-520 NB (piston); 3,419 hours total
- Operator: Signicast LLC
The flight
- Departed from: UNU Juneau WI at 11:40 pm
- Destination: UES Waukesha WI
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 10, 5,849 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 320° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 2.5 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 700 ft; ovct at 700 ft
- Temperature: 28°F (-2°C), dew point 28°F (-2°C)
- Altimeter: 29.54 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
1 document, released by the NTSB on March 16, 2017. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.