Near loss of aircraft control suffered by small transport pilot during in-flight encounter with icin...

Attributes
ACN	228781
Time
Date	199212
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : rno
State Reference	NV
Altitude	msl bound lower : 17000 msl bound upper : 18000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zoa
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Transport, Low Wing, 2 Recip Eng
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude cruise other cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
ASRS Report	228781
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical altitude deviation : undershoot inflight encounter other non adherence : clearance other anomaly other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : exited adverse environment flight crew : overcame equipment problem flight crew : regained aircraft control
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Weather
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

During WX briefing I was told light to moderate rime icing was expected over the sierras below 18000 ft. While my aircraft is 'known ice' equipped and maintained I avoid all flts into ice. I filed for and expected to be above the icing conditions well before reaching the sierras. In fact, climb clrncs were substantially slower than usual and I hit severe icing conditions before I reached 18000 ft. The aircraft became very difficult to control and I received several admonitions from the controller that I was not maintaining my direction of flight. I explained to him that I had great difficulty controling the plane due to severe icing -- probably mostly on my propellers. (They are in fact heated). Using full engine power I was slowly able to get above the clouds (at about 18200 ft) and continued my flight until I was able to descend without going through clouds and land in lovelock, nv, ('local' -- derby field) later I was able to complete my flight to slc, ut. There were 2 important lessons here for me. First -- one can't expect to be cleared to altitudes filed as rapidly as expected and second, icing can be a lot more severe than forecast.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: NEAR LOSS OF ACFT CTL SUFFERED BY SMT PLT DURING INFLT ENCOUNTER WITH ICING CONDITIONS.

Narrative: DURING WX BRIEFING I WAS TOLD LIGHT TO MODERATE RIME ICING WAS EXPECTED OVER THE SIERRAS BELOW 18000 FT. WHILE MY ACFT IS 'KNOWN ICE' EQUIPPED AND MAINTAINED I AVOID ALL FLTS INTO ICE. I FILED FOR AND EXPECTED TO BE ABOVE THE ICING CONDITIONS WELL BEFORE REACHING THE SIERRAS. IN FACT, CLB CLRNCS WERE SUBSTANTIALLY SLOWER THAN USUAL AND I HIT SEVERE ICING CONDITIONS BEFORE I REACHED 18000 FT. THE ACFT BECAME VERY DIFFICULT TO CTL AND I RECEIVED SEVERAL ADMONITIONS FROM THE CTLR THAT I WAS NOT MAINTAINING MY DIRECTION OF FLT. I EXPLAINED TO HIM THAT I HAD GREAT DIFFICULTY CTLING THE PLANE DUE TO SEVERE ICING -- PROBABLY MOSTLY ON MY PROPS. (THEY ARE IN FACT HEATED). USING FULL ENG PWR I WAS SLOWLY ABLE TO GET ABOVE THE CLOUDS (AT ABOUT 18200 FT) AND CONTINUED MY FLT UNTIL I WAS ABLE TO DSND WITHOUT GOING THROUGH CLOUDS AND LAND IN LOVELOCK, NV, ('LCL' -- DERBY FIELD) LATER I WAS ABLE TO COMPLETE MY FLT TO SLC, UT. THERE WERE 2 IMPORTANT LESSONS HERE FOR ME. FIRST -- ONE CAN'T EXPECT TO BE CLRED TO ALTS FILED AS RAPIDLY AS EXPECTED AND SECOND, ICING CAN BE A LOT MORE SEVERE THAN FORECAST.

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.

Near loss of aircraft control suffered by small transport pilot during in-flight encounter with icing conditions.