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Pilot of small aircraft in IMC leaned carburetor causing engine running rough. Received radar assistance to bdl. Carburetor heat cleared up the engine roughness. Conclusion: carburetor icing.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 165705 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199012 |
| Day | Sun |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : bdl |
| State Reference | CT |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 6000 msl bound upper : 6000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | IMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : bdl |
| Operator | general aviation : personal |
| Make Model Name | Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear |
| Flight Phase | cruise other landing other |
| Route In Use | enroute : on vectors |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | Other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : instrument pilot : private |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 30 flight time total : 650 flight time type : 500 |
| ASRS Report | 165705 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : approach |
| Qualification | controller : radar |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : less severe inflight encounter : weather |
| Independent Detector | other other : unspecified cockpit |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : exited adverse environment other |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Aircraft |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation other |
Narrative:
In cruise at 6000', mostly IMC, I had been adjusting mixture fairly often to maintain egt where I wanted it. Didn't occur to me that anything was wrong until I pulled it back and engine started running rough. I immediately notified approach who started me down on vectors to nearest airport at hfd. In descent I realized it was, might be, carburetor ice problem, and applied carburetor heat. It solved problem, but I elected to land at hfd anyway (with controller's encouragement). In retrospect it never occurred to me that a carburetor ice problem would show up as it did, by necessity of leaning constantly. I did not notice any RPM drop or roughness until mixture was pulled way back!!
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: PLT OF SMA IN IMC LEANED CARBURETOR CAUSING ENGINE RUNNING ROUGH. RECEIVED RADAR ASSISTANCE TO BDL. CARBURETOR HEAT CLEARED UP THE ENGINE ROUGHNESS. CONCLUSION: CARBURETOR ICING.
Narrative: IN CRUISE AT 6000', MOSTLY IMC, I HAD BEEN ADJUSTING MIXTURE FAIRLY OFTEN TO MAINTAIN EGT WHERE I WANTED IT. DIDN'T OCCUR TO ME THAT ANYTHING WAS WRONG UNTIL I PULLED IT BACK AND ENG STARTED RUNNING ROUGH. I IMMEDIATELY NOTIFIED APCH WHO STARTED ME DOWN ON VECTORS TO NEAREST ARPT AT HFD. IN DSNT I REALIZED IT WAS, MIGHT BE, CARB ICE PROB, AND APPLIED CARB HEAT. IT SOLVED PROB, BUT I ELECTED TO LAND AT HFD ANYWAY (WITH CTLR'S ENCOURAGEMENT). IN RETROSPECT IT NEVER OCCURRED TO ME THAT A CARB ICE PROB WOULD SHOW UP AS IT DID, BY NECESSITY OF LEANING CONSTANTLY. I DID NOT NOTICE ANY RPM DROP OR ROUGHNESS UNTIL MIXTURE WAS PULLED WAY BACK!!
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.