Discovery of a large chunk of ice in the induction system line.

Attributes
ACN	235635
Time
Date	199303
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : hvn
State Reference	CT
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	ground : preflight
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	instruction : instructor
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 75 flight time total : 1060 flight time type : 500
ASRS Report	235635
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	instruction : trainee
Qualification	pilot : student
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Backgnd data -- 2 days prior to flight winds were gusting from sse at greater than 30 KTS. Rain, snow fell during storm. On preflight, ice was discovered in induction system line. It occurred once before resulting in a substantial power loss. I removed tube to find a chunk of ice 6 1/4 inches long, 3 1/4 wide by 1 - 1 1/14 deep (thick). We are thoroughly reviewing induction system to find cause of water entering system. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter states only reason this area is possible to inspect is because reporter is small enough to extend her hand and arm into the induction line. Nothing is removable in the area to inspect otherwise. Only reason reporter did this is because of the large power loss on another flight after such WX conditions. Maintenance installed a new piece of tubing which did not have a bend which they thought would help. Also used heavy fiberglass at both connecting points to seal against moisture. There has not been such adverse WX since maintenance was done, so no chance to test the new installation. Reporter main concern is that these aircraft are used primarily for training and she fears for what a newly soloed student might do if such a power loss occurred. Reporter has contacted the local FSDO and says she will write to manufacturer as well.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DISCOVERY OF A LARGE CHUNK OF ICE IN THE INDUCTION SYS LINE.

Narrative: BACKGND DATA -- 2 DAYS PRIOR TO FLT WINDS WERE GUSTING FROM SSE AT GREATER THAN 30 KTS. RAIN, SNOW FELL DURING STORM. ON PREFLT, ICE WAS DISCOVERED IN INDUCTION SYS LINE. IT OCCURRED ONCE BEFORE RESULTING IN A SUBSTANTIAL PWR LOSS. I REMOVED TUBE TO FIND A CHUNK OF ICE 6 1/4 INCHES LONG, 3 1/4 WIDE BY 1 - 1 1/14 DEEP (THICK). WE ARE THOROUGHLY REVIEWING INDUCTION SYS TO FIND CAUSE OF WATER ENTERING SYS. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATES ONLY REASON THIS AREA IS POSSIBLE TO INSPECT IS BECAUSE RPTR IS SMALL ENOUGH TO EXTEND HER HAND AND ARM INTO THE INDUCTION LINE. NOTHING IS REMOVABLE IN THE AREA TO INSPECT OTHERWISE. ONLY REASON RPTR DID THIS IS BECAUSE OF THE LARGE PWR LOSS ON ANOTHER FLT AFTER SUCH WX CONDITIONS. MAINT INSTALLED A NEW PIECE OF TUBING WHICH DID NOT HAVE A BEND WHICH THEY THOUGHT WOULD HELP. ALSO USED HVY FIBERGLASS AT BOTH CONNECTING POINTS TO SEAL AGAINST MOISTURE. THERE HAS NOT BEEN SUCH ADVERSE WX SINCE MAINT WAS DONE, SO NO CHANCE TO TEST THE NEW INSTALLATION. RPTR MAIN CONCERN IS THAT THESE ACFT ARE USED PRIMARILY FOR TRAINING AND SHE FEARS FOR WHAT A NEWLY SOLOED STUDENT MIGHT DO IF SUCH A PWR LOSS OCCURRED. RPTR HAS CONTACTED THE LCL FSDO AND SAYS SHE WILL WRITE TO MANUFACTURER AS WELL.

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.