Cessna 414 accident near Akron, Ohio, January 19, 2005
On January 19, 2005 at about 2:13 pm local time, a Cessna 414, registered N5DS, was substantially damaged in an accident near Akron, Ohio (Akron-Canton Regional airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were 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 failure to obtain a complete weather briefing, which resulted in an inadequate weather decision, and flight into known icing conditions. A factor was the airplane not being equipped for flight in icing conditions.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 19, 2005 · about 2:13 pm local time
- Place
- Akron, Ohio · Akron-Canton Regional · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 414 · all 414s on the register
- Registration
- N5DS · registry record · serial 414-0486
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane departed on an instrument flight rules flight plan. At 2,500 feet, the airplane entered the clouds and immediately "picked up real heavy ice." The wing, propeller, and windshield deicing systems were activated. The windshield's "weeping" alcohol system could not keep pace with the ice buildup, and the windshield blurred "within seconds." Ice accumulated on the wing deicing boots while they were inflated, and ice shedding from the propellers was heard throughout the flight. The pilot requested and was cleared for a localizer approach back to the departure airport. On short final, he could see the runway out the side window, but aborted the landing. The pilot continued to an alternate airport, and completed an airport surveillance radar approach to the airport. About 5 feet above the runway surface, the pilot reduced power, and the airplane "just fell from the sky." The airplane landed hard on all three landing gear simultaneously. An AIRMET was issued for the area surrounding the departure airport and along the intended route of flight for moderate icing in clouds and precipitation below 15,000 feet, with conditions continuing throughout the day. At takeoff, the weather reported at the departure airport included an overcast ceiling at 1,300 feet, with 2 ½ miles of visibility in light freezing rain and mist. The temperature was 21 degrees Fahrenheit, and the dewpoint was 17 degrees Fahrenheit. The freezing rain began around the time of departure. Prior to departure, the pilot did not receive a weather briefing from FAA flight service, nor did he check for pilot reports (PIREPS). Examination of delivery documents, and the airplane owner's manual, revealed that the airplane was not equipped with the option package that allowed for "flight in icing conditions as defined by the FAA."
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
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,403 hours in all; 70 in this make and model; 22 in the last 90 days; 14 in the last 30 days; 1,337 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: January 1, 2004
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,086 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 1, 2005; 20 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 6,350 lb
- Seats: 7
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Continental TSIO-520 (piston); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Continental TSIO-520 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: AKR Akron OH at 1:40 pm
- Destination: RDG Reading PA
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 19, 7,000 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 200° at 15 knots, gusting 23
- Visibility: 2 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 800 ft
- Temperature: 19°F (-7°C), dew point 18°F (-8°C)
- Altimeter: 29.92 inHg
- Observation at 2:37 pm from CAK
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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.