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Pilot of small aircraft has loss of airspeed, egt up abnormally and cabin becomes very warm. He declares an emergency and is vectored to a landing at iad.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 386487 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199711 |
| Day | Sun |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : iad |
| State Reference | VA |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 10000 msl bound upper : 10000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : iad |
| Operator | general aviation : personal |
| Make Model Name | Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Flight Phase | cruise other other |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Aircraft 2 | |
| Make Model Name | Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | Other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : private pilot : instrument |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 30 flight time total : 1300 flight time type : 200 |
| ASRS Report | 386487 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : approach |
| Qualification | controller : radar |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : critical inflight encounter : weather inflight encounter other |
| Independent Detector | aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : declared emergency other |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Aircraft |
Narrative:
In level cruise at 10000 ft with autoplt on, noted simultaneously 1) low airspeed, 2) plane attitude nose up, 3) decreasing altitude, 4) egt up abnormally, and 5) cabin becoming suddenly warm. I immediately stopped autoplt yet continued to lose altitude. I informed dulles approach I needed closest airport. They asked if I was declaring an emergency and I responded 'yes.' I was vectored back to dulles and made routine landing. After landing I consulted 2 mechanics including (by long distance) my local mechanic. All checks failed to reveal any problem with engine. They advised trip could be continued. I departed without further incident. Probable cause: windshear with large area of downdraft (sinking air). This plane's climb rate at 10000 ft is anemic and was probably outmatched by strong winter frontal system. Autoplt progressively tried to maintain altitude by raising nose, ram air decreased (with cowl flaps closed) leading to higher temperatures including loss of cabin ventilation.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: PLT OF SMA HAS LOSS OF AIRSPD, EGT UP ABNORMALLY AND CABIN BECOMES VERY WARM. HE DECLARES AN EMER AND IS VECTORED TO A LNDG AT IAD.
Narrative: IN LEVEL CRUISE AT 10000 FT WITH AUTOPLT ON, NOTED SIMULTANEOUSLY 1) LOW AIRSPD, 2) PLANE ATTITUDE NOSE UP, 3) DECREASING ALT, 4) EGT UP ABNORMALLY, AND 5) CABIN BECOMING SUDDENLY WARM. I IMMEDIATELY STOPPED AUTOPLT YET CONTINUED TO LOSE ALT. I INFORMED DULLES APCH I NEEDED CLOSEST ARPT. THEY ASKED IF I WAS DECLARING AN EMER AND I RESPONDED 'YES.' I WAS VECTORED BACK TO DULLES AND MADE ROUTINE LNDG. AFTER LNDG I CONSULTED 2 MECHS INCLUDING (BY LONG DISTANCE) MY LCL MECH. ALL CHKS FAILED TO REVEAL ANY PROB WITH ENG. THEY ADVISED TRIP COULD BE CONTINUED. I DEPARTED WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. PROBABLE CAUSE: WINDSHEAR WITH LARGE AREA OF DOWNDRAFT (SINKING AIR). THIS PLANE'S CLB RATE AT 10000 FT IS ANEMIC AND WAS PROBABLY OUTMATCHED BY STRONG WINTER FRONTAL SYS. AUTOPLT PROGRESSIVELY TRIED TO MAINTAIN ALT BY RAISING NOSE, RAM AIR DECREASED (WITH COWL FLAPS CLOSED) LEADING TO HIGHER TEMPS INCLUDING LOSS OF CABIN VENTILATION.
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.