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37000 Feet | Browse and search NASA's Aviation Safety Reporting System |
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Private pilot of small aircraft single engine land aircraft lost control of aircraft and descended from assigned altitude due to encounter with a severe downdraft wind condition.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 238945 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199304 |
| Day | Sun |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : mrb |
| State Reference | WV |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 6600 msl bound upper : 7000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Operator | general aviation : personal |
| Make Model Name | Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear |
| Flight Phase | cruise other |
| Route In Use | enroute airway : dca |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | Other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : instrument pilot : private |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 20 flight time total : 360 flight time type : 270 |
| ASRS Report | 238945 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : approach |
| Qualification | controller : radar |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : critical altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : clearance other anomaly |
| Independent Detector | aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | aircraft : equipment problem dissipated flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course flight crew : overcame equipment problem |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Aircraft |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation other |
Narrative:
While in cruise flight level at 7000 MSL aircraft entered into a 200/300 FPM descent which was not overcome with full power. Aircraft did not seem to be producing maximum power as airspeed dropped with increase in pitch. We had just crossed a mountain ridge at the time and winds aloft were from the northwest about 35 KTS. Carburetor heat application did not seem to produce any difference in power as well as any change in mixture. A positive rate of climb was established after a loss of 400 ft of altitude. Approach control called in regards to loss of altitude and I told them of not being able to maintain altitude and requested vectors to nearest airport. Vectors were provided to winchester airport and I was asked if I wished to declare and emergency. I stated not at that time and continued to try and determine problem. After regaining altitude to 7000 ft I was able to continue to my destination with no further problem.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: PVT PLT OF SMA SINGLE ENG LAND ACFT LOST CTL OF ACFT AND DSNDED FROM ASSIGNED ALT DUE TO ENCOUNTER WITH A SEVERE DOWNDRAFT WIND CONDITION.
Narrative: WHILE IN CRUISE FLT LEVEL AT 7000 MSL ACFT ENTERED INTO A 200/300 FPM DSCNT WHICH WAS NOT OVERCOME WITH FULL PWR. ACFT DID NOT SEEM TO BE PRODUCING MAX PWR AS AIRSPD DROPPED WITH INCREASE IN PITCH. WE HAD JUST CROSSED A MOUNTAIN RIDGE AT THE TIME AND WINDS ALOFT WERE FROM THE NW ABOUT 35 KTS. CARB HEAT APPLICATION DID NOT SEEM TO PRODUCE ANY DIFFERENCE IN PWR AS WELL AS ANY CHANGE IN MIXTURE. A POSITIVE RATE OF CLB WAS ESTABLISHED AFTER A LOSS OF 400 FT OF ALT. APCH CTL CALLED IN REGARDS TO LOSS OF ALT AND I TOLD THEM OF NOT BEING ABLE TO MAINTAIN ALT AND REQUESTED VECTORS TO NEAREST ARPT. VECTORS WERE PROVIDED TO WINCHESTER ARPT AND I WAS ASKED IF I WISHED TO DECLARE AND EMER. I STATED NOT AT THAT TIME AND CONTINUED TO TRY AND DETERMINE PROB. AFTER REGAINING ALT TO 7000 FT I WAS ABLE TO CONTINUE TO MY DEST WITH NO FURTHER PROB.
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.