Aircraft on IFR flight plan encounters rime ice during climb. Trim wheel begins turning freely with ...

Attributes
ACN	139417
Time
Date	199003
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : phx
State Reference	AZ
Altitude	msl bound lower : 11500 msl bound upper : 11500
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : phx
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Retractable Gear
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 38 flight time total : 30000 flight time type : 900
ASRS Report	139417
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical inflight encounter other non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation other

Narrative:

IFR flight plan sedona-phx-abq-apa at 13000'. FSS briefing indicated possible light rime and some turbulence tops 12000-13000' ceilings en route of several thousand feet scattered southwest. Reports from 3 aircraft. One maintained VFR phx. Two reported on top 12000 light rime on climb. Takeoff was at near gross weight, therefore, reducing climb performance. Maximum of 1/2' rime further reduced climb. Was able to reach tops at 11500, but still in and out of tops. Advised ATC of condition and requested lower altitude. Controller asked if we were equipped with de-ice boots. Negative on boots. About this time I noticed I was unable to trim nose up. Soon discovered the trim wheel was turning free, no effect on stabilizer. Requested landing at phx, which was accomplished with no problem. Did not request emergency or equipment on airport (small roll pin connecting trim wheel to chain drive came out). Next time it would have been better to fly VFR to phx where the WX was hi broken, then climb to 13000.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACFT ON IFR FLT PLAN ENCOUNTERS RIME ICE DURING CLIMB. TRIM WHEEL BEGINS TURNING FREELY WITH NO EFFECT ON STABILIZER. MAKES PRECAUTIONARY LNDG.

Narrative: IFR FLT PLAN SEDONA-PHX-ABQ-APA AT 13000'. FSS BRIEFING INDICATED POSSIBLE LIGHT RIME AND SOME TURBULENCE TOPS 12000-13000' CEILINGS ENRTE OF SEVERAL THOUSAND FEET SCATTERED SW. REPORTS FROM 3 ACFT. ONE MAINTAINED VFR PHX. TWO REPORTED ON TOP 12000 LIGHT RIME ON CLIMB. TKOF WAS AT NEAR GROSS WEIGHT, THEREFORE, REDUCING CLIMB PERFORMANCE. MAX OF 1/2' RIME FURTHER REDUCED CLIMB. WAS ABLE TO REACH TOPS AT 11500, BUT STILL IN AND OUT OF TOPS. ADVISED ATC OF CONDITION AND REQUESTED LOWER ALT. CTLR ASKED IF WE WERE EQUIPPED WITH DE-ICE BOOTS. NEGATIVE ON BOOTS. ABOUT THIS TIME I NOTICED I WAS UNABLE TO TRIM NOSE UP. SOON DISCOVERED THE TRIM WHEEL WAS TURNING FREE, NO EFFECT ON STABILIZER. REQUESTED LNDG AT PHX, WHICH WAS ACCOMPLISHED WITH NO PROBLEM. DID NOT REQUEST EMER OR EQUIPMENT ON ARPT (SMALL ROLL PIN CONNECTING TRIM WHEEL TO CHAIN DRIVE CAME OUT). NEXT TIME IT WOULD HAVE BEEN BETTER TO FLY VFR TO PHX WHERE THE WX WAS HI BROKEN, THEN CLIMB TO 13000.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.

Aircraft on IFR flight plan encounters rime ice during climb. Trim wheel begins turning freely with no effect on stabilizer. Makes precautionary landing.