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An IFR rated small aircraft pilot had a partial failure of his navigation and communication system and an encounter with ice and turbulence.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 222894 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199210 |
| Day | Mon |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : iiu |
| State Reference | KY |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 8000 msl bound upper : 14000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | IMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Operator | general aviation : personal |
| Make Model Name | Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear |
| Flight Phase | cruise other |
| Route In Use | enroute airway : zid |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | Other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : instrument pilot : private |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 16 flight time total : 643 flight time type : 16 |
| ASRS Report | 222894 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : radar |
| Qualification | controller : radar |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : less severe altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude inflight encounter : weather non adherence : clearance |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | controller : issued new clearance flight crew : exited adverse environment none taken : anomaly accepted |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Aircraft |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation other |
Narrative:
I was flying by myself bringing the aircraft from fl to il. I noticed that both CDI needles were not in phase with each other. I was trying to interpret between the two. It seemed that I just wasn't receiving a signal with enough strength to 'lock on' to the airway I was flying. During this time, my en route low altitude chart fell between the copilot seat and the door. This was due to turbulence. I tried to retrieve the chart but was unsuccessful. I asked the center for help with navigation until I could get in VFR conditions or stable air. Center gave me the requested help and I determined that I was 10 mi off course. I started to pick up rime ice and requested a higher altitude. Because of the rate of ice buildup, I didn't wait for a response before I started to climb. I felt, to maintain control of the aircraft, this is what I had to do. I continued to be in icing conditions and light turbulence. I requested a higher altitude and a course change to change the situation I was in. Because I had a heavy electrical current load on the system, my navigation equipment became worse. And I still had not reclaimed my chart. I knew at 14000 ft I could only be there a few mins without oxygen. After approximately 5 mins, it because VFR below me and I requested a lower altitude. Once in VFR conditions I retrieved my chart. I found out when I landed that my generator belt was slipping and my battery was slowly discharging under the heavy load. Before I reached my destination, the belt had come completely off. During my WX briefing, there was no mention of ice along my route of flight. The communication radios were yellow tagged and installed 6 months earlier according to the logs. I did not know about the split frequency requirement when I asked about NOTAMS during my WX/flight briefing. I'm very glad that the controllers that handled me were there. I really needed their help and they gave me a lot of latitude. The aircraft is currently at FAA repair station to have the avionics updated to the new frequency spacing and to install a new generator belt.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: AN IFR RATED SMA PLT HAD A PARTIAL FAILURE OF HIS NAV AND COM SYS AND AN ENCOUNTER WITH ICE AND TURB.
Narrative: I WAS FLYING BY MYSELF BRINGING THE ACFT FROM FL TO IL. I NOTICED THAT BOTH CDI NEEDLES WERE NOT IN PHASE WITH EACH OTHER. I WAS TRYING TO INTERPRET BTWN THE TWO. IT SEEMED THAT I JUST WASN'T RECEIVING A SIGNAL WITH ENOUGH STRENGTH TO 'LOCK ON' TO THE AIRWAY I WAS FLYING. DURING THIS TIME, MY ENRTE LOW ALT CHART FELL BTWN THE COPLT SEAT AND THE DOOR. THIS WAS DUE TO TURB. I TRIED TO RETRIEVE THE CHART BUT WAS UNSUCCESSFUL. I ASKED THE CTR FOR HELP WITH NAV UNTIL I COULD GET IN VFR CONDITIONS OR STABLE AIR. CTR GAVE ME THE REQUESTED HELP AND I DETERMINED THAT I WAS 10 MI OFF COURSE. I STARTED TO PICK UP RIME ICE AND REQUESTED A HIGHER ALT. BECAUSE OF THE RATE OF ICE BUILDUP, I DIDN'T WAIT FOR A RESPONSE BEFORE I STARTED TO CLB. I FELT, TO MAINTAIN CTL OF THE ACFT, THIS IS WHAT I HAD TO DO. I CONTINUED TO BE IN ICING CONDITIONS AND LIGHT TURB. I REQUESTED A HIGHER ALT AND A COURSE CHANGE TO CHANGE THE SITUATION I WAS IN. BECAUSE I HAD A HVY ELECTRICAL CURRENT LOAD ON THE SYS, MY NAV EQUIP BECAME WORSE. AND I STILL HAD NOT RECLAIMED MY CHART. I KNEW AT 14000 FT I COULD ONLY BE THERE A FEW MINS WITHOUT OXYGEN. AFTER APPROX 5 MINS, IT BECAUSE VFR BELOW ME AND I REQUESTED A LOWER ALT. ONCE IN VFR CONDITIONS I RETRIEVED MY CHART. I FOUND OUT WHEN I LANDED THAT MY GENERATOR BELT WAS SLIPPING AND MY BATTERY WAS SLOWLY DISCHARGING UNDER THE HVY LOAD. BEFORE I REACHED MY DEST, THE BELT HAD COME COMPLETELY OFF. DURING MY WX BRIEFING, THERE WAS NO MENTION OF ICE ALONG MY RTE OF FLT. THE COM RADIOS WERE YELLOW TAGGED AND INSTALLED 6 MONTHS EARLIER ACCORDING TO THE LOGS. I DID NOT KNOW ABOUT THE SPLIT FREQ REQUIREMENT WHEN I ASKED ABOUT NOTAMS DURING MY WX/FLT BRIEFING. I'M VERY GLAD THAT THE CTLRS THAT HANDLED ME WERE THERE. I REALLY NEEDED THEIR HELP AND THEY GAVE ME A LOT OF LATITUDE. THE ACFT IS CURRENTLY AT FAA REPAIR STATION TO HAVE THE AVIONICS UPDATED TO THE NEW FREQ SPACING AND TO INSTALL A NEW GENERATOR BELT.
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.