PA28A aircraft on instrument flight check for reporter pilot incurred carburetor icing. Reporter was unable to maintain altitude and heading, but being inexperienced in actual instrument conditions and distraction by carburetor ice forgot to change frequency as assigned by approach controller. Thus, he had lost communication for a period of time and reports that other aircraft had to deviate as a result.

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Attributes
ACN	366666
Time
Date	199704
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : maf
State Reference	TX
Altitude	msl bound lower : 4600 msl bound upper : 5000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : maf
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	PA-28 Cherokee/Archer II/Dakota/Pillan/Warrior
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise other descent : approach descent other
Route In Use	enroute airway : zfw
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	instruction : trainee
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 34 flight time total : 1280 flight time type : 1240
ASRS Report	366666
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	instruction : instructor observation : company check pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : cfi pilot : private
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : clearance other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : overcame equipment problem
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation other

Narrative:

During an IFR flight examination, I experienced carburetor ice while in a practice holding pattern. I have over 1200 hours flying the PA28 and this was the first time I ever had this problem. I was trying to maintain altitude and heading, but due to the loss in power I was unable to maintain my assigned altitude of 5000 ft. By the time I had the carburetor heat on and engine running smoothly I had descended to 4600 ft. Maf approach advised me that I would have to make an ILS approach to runway 10 and change frequencys. I was still in the process of trying to maintain control of the aircraft and did not switch frequencys and did not advise them. I believe because of temporary loss of communications, other aircraft in the area had to deviate from their altitudes and headings. Human performance considerations. A flight instrument examination is hard enough without flying in IMC conditions and although that is what you are training for, any additional distrs may not be noticed in a timely fashion. I should have scheduled the examination for another day.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PA28A ACFT ON INST FLT CHK FOR RPTR PLT INCURRED CARB ICING. RPTR WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN ALT AND HDG, BUT BEING INEXPERIENCED IN ACTUAL INST CONDITIONS AND DISTR BY CARB ICE FORGOT TO CHANGE FREQ AS ASSIGNED BY APCH CTLR. THUS, HE HAD LOST COM FOR A PERIOD OF TIME AND RPTS THAT OTHER ACFT HAD TO DEVIATE AS A RESULT.

Narrative: DURING AN IFR FLT EXAM, I EXPERIENCED CARB ICE WHILE IN A PRACTICE HOLDING PATTERN. I HAVE OVER 1200 HRS FLYING THE PA28 AND THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME I EVER HAD THIS PROB. I WAS TRYING TO MAINTAIN ALT AND HDG, BUT DUE TO THE LOSS IN PWR I WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN MY ASSIGNED ALT OF 5000 FT. BY THE TIME I HAD THE CARB HEAT ON AND ENG RUNNING SMOOTHLY I HAD DSNDED TO 4600 FT. MAF APCH ADVISED ME THAT I WOULD HAVE TO MAKE AN ILS APCH TO RWY 10 AND CHANGE FREQS. I WAS STILL IN THE PROCESS OF TRYING TO MAINTAIN CTL OF THE ACFT AND DID NOT SWITCH FREQS AND DID NOT ADVISE THEM. I BELIEVE BECAUSE OF TEMPORARY LOSS OF COMS, OTHER ACFT IN THE AREA HAD TO DEVIATE FROM THEIR ALTS AND HDGS. HUMAN PERFORMANCE CONSIDERATIONS. A FLT INST EXAM IS HARD ENOUGH WITHOUT FLYING IN IMC CONDITIONS AND ALTHOUGH THAT IS WHAT YOU ARE TRAINING FOR, ANY ADDITIONAL DISTRS MAY NOT BE NOTICED IN A TIMELY FASHION. I SHOULD HAVE SCHEDULED THE EXAM FOR ANOTHER DAY.

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.