N62711

On February 15, 1995, at 1856 Central Standard Time (CST) a Piper PA-23-250, N62711, operated by AB Flight Services, of Minetonka, Minnesota, and piloted by an airline transport pilot, was substantially damaged during a hard landing and collision with taxiway signs and runway edge lighting shortly after landing on runway 11R (10,000' X 200' wet concrete) at the Minneapolis-St.Paul International Airport, Minneapolis, Minnesota. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The 14 CFR Part 135 flight was operating on an IFR flight plan. The pilot and passenger reported no injuries. The flight departed Fargo, North Dakota, at 1630 cst.

Before departing the pilot obtained a weather briefing from Weathermation Computer Service. The pilot said the surface and forecast weather showed light snow at the intended destination and alternates. Instrument meteorological to visual meteorological conditions were forecast for the route and destination. Surface temperatures between Fargo, North Dakota, and Minneapolis, Minnesota, ranged between 16 to 19 degrees Fahrenheit. Winds aloft forecast data showed minus 9 degrees centigrade at 6,000 feet (msl). No icing was forecast for the route of flight.

As N62711 approached its original destination, Buffalo, Minnesota, the pilot said he encountered light icing at 6,000 feet msl. He said he activated the heated windshield de-icing plate. After 2 to 3 minutes the heated panel was "...still iced over and the layer had increased to approximately 1/8 to 1/4 inch." The pilot said windshield plate did not remove the ice. He said he applied full windshield defrost heat and that it would not get rid of the windshield ice. He said he decided to fly to his alternate airport that had better instrument approach services.

The pilot made two ILS approaches to runway 11R at the Minneapolis/St. Paul international Airport. After making the first missed approach the pilot said he "...realized the severity of the total lack of forward and side visibility." Before executing the second instrument approach the pilot said he "...gladly... accepted the ATC tower's suggestion to relocate tower operations near runway 11R." The ATC controller helped the pilot with runway alignment and descent path information. According to the pilot, "...the aircraft firmly contacted what I believe was the left side of the runway." He said the left main landing gear failed during the landing roll.

A Federal Aviation Administration Principal Maintenance Inspector (PMI) stated he examined the airplane and observed about 1 1/2 inches of ice on the windshield. He said the plate had melted a rectangular area roughly equal to its normal size shortly after the airplane had come to a stop. The PMI said the wing leading edge had 2 - 2 1/2 of ice on the unbooted surfaces. He said the wings upper surface had scattered areas of 3/4 inch thick rams horn ice aft of the de-icing boots trailing edge.