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The engine quit during an ILS approach due to carburetor ice. Pilot was able to restart the engine and continue the approach in IMC to a successful landing.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 355068 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199612 |
| Day | Thu |
| Local Time Of Day | 1801 To 2400 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : ric |
| State Reference | VA |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 3000 msl bound upper : 3000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | IMC |
| Light | Night |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : ric |
| Operator | general aviation : personal |
| Make Model Name | Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Flight Phase | descent : approach |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | Other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : private pilot : instrument |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 6 flight time total : 300 flight time type : 240 |
| ASRS Report | 355068 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : approach |
| Qualification | controller : radar |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | inflight encounter : weather other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : overcame equipment problem flight crew : declared emergency |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Aircraft |
Narrative:
IMC flight on victor 16 from long island to richmond, va, I had been flying below 6000 ft under most of clouds but in rain. No visible rime ice. Ice layer was above 7000 ft. In precipitation off and on for 2 hours at same power settings without carburetor heat (0540 engine). About 10 mi to east approach vectored me to ILS approach and put me into thunder cell or near cell in totally IMC, lightning and severe turbulence. Next morning a fairing was found missing between tail and cabin top. Approach had 2 other commercials hold until cells went by after my problems. I was disoriented and gyroscope was not correct, looked to be 120 degrees or so off compass due to severe attitude changes from turbulence. I actually started approach 180 degrees (ie, went north versus south towards airport). After diverting to west I was told to climb to 4000 ft. As I tried to put in climb power engine stopped. I reversed throttle to original position and engine restarted. Full carburetor heat stopped engine. A partial application of carburetor heat slowly applied seemed to break ice in engine and eventually full power resumed. At that point I diverted to chesterfield airport while 12 mi south was VFR. Major issues were pilot fatigue and disorientation on approach while being placed into severe turbulence. If approach had come across strongly recommending a diversion due to thunder cells, pilot may have diverted early and not had issues with approach. Flight briefing never indicated thunder cells. Most of problem was due to pilot inexperience in hard IMC and not applying carburetor heat periodically in-flight.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: THE ENG QUIT DURING AN ILS APCH DUE TO CARB ICE. PLT WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE ENG AND CONTINUE THE APCH IN IMC TO A SUCCESSFUL LNDG.
Narrative: IMC FLT ON VICTOR 16 FROM LONG ISLAND TO RICHMOND, VA, I HAD BEEN FLYING BELOW 6000 FT UNDER MOST OF CLOUDS BUT IN RAIN. NO VISIBLE RIME ICE. ICE LAYER WAS ABOVE 7000 FT. IN PRECIPITATION OFF AND ON FOR 2 HRS AT SAME PWR SETTINGS WITHOUT CARB HEAT (0540 ENG). ABOUT 10 MI TO E APCH VECTORED ME TO ILS APCH AND PUT ME INTO THUNDER CELL OR NEAR CELL IN TOTALLY IMC, LIGHTNING AND SEVERE TURB. NEXT MORNING A FAIRING WAS FOUND MISSING BTWN TAIL AND CABIN TOP. APCH HAD 2 OTHER COMMERCIALS HOLD UNTIL CELLS WENT BY AFTER MY PROBS. I WAS DISORIENTED AND GYROSCOPE WAS NOT CORRECT, LOOKED TO BE 120 DEGS OR SO OFF COMPASS DUE TO SEVERE ATTITUDE CHANGES FROM TURB. I ACTUALLY STARTED APCH 180 DEGS (IE, WENT N VERSUS S TOWARDS ARPT). AFTER DIVERTING TO W I WAS TOLD TO CLB TO 4000 FT. AS I TRIED TO PUT IN CLB PWR ENG STOPPED. I REVERSED THROTTLE TO ORIGINAL POS AND ENG RESTARTED. FULL CARB HEAT STOPPED ENG. A PARTIAL APPLICATION OF CARB HEAT SLOWLY APPLIED SEEMED TO BREAK ICE IN ENG AND EVENTUALLY FULL PWR RESUMED. AT THAT POINT I DIVERTED TO CHESTERFIELD ARPT WHILE 12 MI S WAS VFR. MAJOR ISSUES WERE PLT FATIGUE AND DISORIENTATION ON APCH WHILE BEING PLACED INTO SEVERE TURB. IF APCH HAD COME ACROSS STRONGLY RECOMMENDING A DIVERSION DUE TO THUNDER CELLS, PLT MAY HAVE DIVERTED EARLY AND NOT HAD ISSUES WITH APCH. FLT BRIEFING NEVER INDICATED THUNDER CELLS. MOST OF PROB WAS DUE TO PLT INEXPERIENCE IN HARD IMC AND NOT APPLYING CARB HEAT PERIODICALLY INFLT.
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.