Piper Aircraft INC PA-28-161 accident near Vik, Is, February 21, 2008
On February 21, 2008 at about 11:39 am local time, a Piper Aircraft INC PA-28-161, registered N60842, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (cruise) near Vik. It was a ferry flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed.
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's decision to fly into an area of forecast weather suitable for structural icing. Contributing to the accident was the effect of the structural icing encountered.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 21, 2008 · about 11:39 am local time
- Place
- Vik, Iceland · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- not recorded
- Aircraft
- Piper Aircraft INC PA-28-161
- Registration
- N60842 · no longer on the register · serial 2842303
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Ferry flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot was asked by a ferry company representative to delay his flight until the icing weather had cleared from the route of flight. The pilot was handed a weather briefing by a dispatcher during the pilot’s preflight weather briefing. The briefing included the significant low level weather chart indicating icing from 7,000 above mean sea level. The pilot reportedly elected to depart on the day of the accident flight. During the ferry flight over the Atlantic Ocean, the pilot relayed through other aircraft to air traffic control that he encountered icing and a loss of engine power. The pilot descended from his cruise flight level of 11,000 feet above mean sea level. An emergency locater transmitter signal associated with the airplane was detected by a satellite in the area. Search and rescue operations did not locate the airplane or pilot.
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
- Structural icing during enroute (cruise) defining event
- Loss of engine power (total) during enroute (descent)
- Ditching during emergency descent
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Pilot
- factor Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Temp/humidity/pressure › Conducive to structural icing › Effect on equipment
- cause Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Temp/humidity/pressure › Conducive to structural icing › Decision related to condition
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot, flight engineer
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 26,860 hours in all; 26,800 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: unk
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 30 hours
- Maximum gross weight: 2,440 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-D3G (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BIRK Reykjavik at 9:30 am
- Destination: EGPC Wick
- Flight plan: not recorded
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
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.