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Pilot of small aircraft encounters in flight icing which affects his airspeed readout as his inoperative pitot heater allows ice buildup on pitot tube (one cool venture)!
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 202731 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199202 |
| Day | Sun |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : ith |
| State Reference | NY |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 3600 msl bound upper : 3600 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | IMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : elm tower : phl |
| Operator | general aviation : personal |
| Make Model Name | Small Aircraft |
| Flight Phase | cruise other cruise other |
| Route In Use | enroute : on vectors |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | Other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : instrument pilot : commercial |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 20 flight time total : 1200 flight time type : 850 |
| ASRS Report | 202731 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : approach |
| Qualification | controller : radar |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : critical inflight encounter other non adherence other |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : exited adverse environment other |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Weather |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
I was the pilot of small aircraft executing an ILS approach to ithaca, ny, and encountered moderate mixed icing in clouds. Pitot heat was inoperative causing loss of airspeed indication. Due to partial panel and icing conditions, I declared an emergency and requested vectors towards a known area of better WX conditions at binghamton, ny, (900 ft overcast with 8 mi visibility and no reported ice). I landed the aircraft at binghamton without further incident. In retrospect I should have done 2 things differently. First I should have checked the operation of pitot heat during the preflight inspection. And second, just prior to the approach ATC informed me that there was a report of 'trace of rime ice in the ithaca area.' I should have taken this as a warning that icing conditions existed and not flown into the area.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: PLT OF SMA ENCOUNTERS IN FLT ICING WHICH AFFECTS HIS AIRSPD READOUT AS HIS INOP PITOT HEATER ALLOWS ICE BUILDUP ON PITOT TUBE (ONE COOL VENTURE)!
Narrative: I WAS THE PLT OF SMA EXECUTING AN ILS APCH TO ITHACA, NY, AND ENCOUNTERED MODERATE MIXED ICING IN CLOUDS. PITOT HEAT WAS INOP CAUSING LOSS OF AIRSPD INDICATION. DUE TO PARTIAL PANEL AND ICING CONDITIONS, I DECLARED AN EMER AND REQUESTED VECTORS TOWARDS A KNOWN AREA OF BETTER WX CONDITIONS AT BINGHAMTON, NY, (900 FT OVCST WITH 8 MI VISIBILITY AND NO RPTED ICE). I LANDED THE ACFT AT BINGHAMTON WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. IN RETROSPECT I SHOULD HAVE DONE 2 THINGS DIFFERENTLY. FIRST I SHOULD HAVE CHKED THE OP OF PITOT HEAT DURING THE PREFLT INSPECTION. AND SECOND, JUST PRIOR TO THE APCH ATC INFORMED ME THAT THERE WAS A RPT OF 'TRACE OF RIME ICE IN THE ITHACA AREA.' I SHOULD HAVE TAKEN THIS AS A WARNING THAT ICING CONDITIONS EXISTED AND NOT FLOWN INTO THE AREA.
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.