Pilot of a piper PA24 commanche entered icing and turbulence during en route and approach causing a ...

Attributes
ACN	391845
Time
Date	199801
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : fmg airport : rno
State Reference	NV
Altitude	msl bound lower : 12000 msl bound upper : 13000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : rno
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	PA-24 Comanche
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise other descent : approach descent other
Route In Use	arrival other enroute : direct enroute airway : zoa enroute airway : v105
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 49 flight time total : 795 flight time type : 280
ASRS Report	391845
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical inflight encounter : weather other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Weather
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Inbound to reno from tus, FSS and later flight watch was contacted for WX advisories in reno and the surrounding areas, the most recent being 20 NM before the hawthorne, nv, area. Reno was showing 2000 ft and 6 mi visibility, fallon was 4000 ft and 10 mi. Decision was, if reno was not good, the flight would divert to fallon, nv. In the hawthorne area, ZOA commented that the aircraft leaving reno reported no icing on climb out and no other problems for approachs or lndgs to reno. An IFR clearance was requested and received, climb to 13000 ft direct fmg, approach ILS runway 16 rno. Started the climb out of 10500 ft. Approaching 12500 ft the engine began to run rough and I advised center of the difficulties in climbing and the engine was running rough. Carburetor heat was applied but the engine was still rough. Center authority/authorized a block altitude of 12000-13000 ft. At 13 DME from fmg, the engine coughed, caught a couple seconds later but continued to run rough. About this time, the flight encountered moderate to severe turbulence that continued into the approach phase. Center did the handoff to approach. They queried about icing, none or very little was seen on the wings and windshield. The engine was still coughing and was very rough, rough air was also still a factor. ILS was captured and I broke out about 1600 ft, landing without incident. Postflt inspection by myself and the ramp attendant showed no ice on the wings, however the air inlet was covered with slush and ice. The slush was on the front flat plate. Around the inlet area ice/snow had packed in almost to the point of plugging it completely. A moderate buildup was also under the spinner on the cowl tin by the starter and in both cabin air intake scoops. The turbulence encountered must have developed rapidly or was at a lower altitude than the arriving jet traffic was using. In any event the WX encountered that evening was severe for those mins that seemed very long.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF A PIPER PA24 COMMANCHE ENTERED ICING AND TURB DURING ENRTE AND APCH CAUSING A ROUGH RUNNING ENG. IT WAS LEARNED DURING POSTFLT INSPECTION THAT IMPACT ICING OF THE ENG COWLING INLET TO THE ENG CARB CAUSED THE ROUGH RUNNING ENG.

Narrative: INBOUND TO RENO FROM TUS, FSS AND LATER FLT WATCH WAS CONTACTED FOR WX ADVISORIES IN RENO AND THE SURROUNDING AREAS, THE MOST RECENT BEING 20 NM BEFORE THE HAWTHORNE, NV, AREA. RENO WAS SHOWING 2000 FT AND 6 MI VISIBILITY, FALLON WAS 4000 FT AND 10 MI. DECISION WAS, IF RENO WAS NOT GOOD, THE FLT WOULD DIVERT TO FALLON, NV. IN THE HAWTHORNE AREA, ZOA COMMENTED THAT THE ACFT LEAVING RENO RPTED NO ICING ON CLBOUT AND NO OTHER PROBS FOR APCHS OR LNDGS TO RENO. AN IFR CLRNC WAS REQUESTED AND RECEIVED, CLB TO 13000 FT DIRECT FMG, APCH ILS RWY 16 RNO. STARTED THE CLB OUT OF 10500 FT. APCHING 12500 FT THE ENG BEGAN TO RUN ROUGH AND I ADVISED CTR OF THE DIFFICULTIES IN CLBING AND THE ENG WAS RUNNING ROUGH. CARB HEAT WAS APPLIED BUT THE ENG WAS STILL ROUGH. CTR AUTH A BLOCK ALT OF 12000-13000 FT. AT 13 DME FROM FMG, THE ENG COUGHED, CAUGHT A COUPLE SECONDS LATER BUT CONTINUED TO RUN ROUGH. ABOUT THIS TIME, THE FLT ENCOUNTERED MODERATE TO SEVERE TURB THAT CONTINUED INTO THE APCH PHASE. CTR DID THE HDOF TO APCH. THEY QUERIED ABOUT ICING, NONE OR VERY LITTLE WAS SEEN ON THE WINGS AND WINDSHIELD. THE ENG WAS STILL COUGHING AND WAS VERY ROUGH, ROUGH AIR WAS ALSO STILL A FACTOR. ILS WAS CAPTURED AND I BROKE OUT ABOUT 1600 FT, LNDG WITHOUT INCIDENT. POSTFLT INSPECTION BY MYSELF AND THE RAMP ATTENDANT SHOWED NO ICE ON THE WINGS, HOWEVER THE AIR INLET WAS COVERED WITH SLUSH AND ICE. THE SLUSH WAS ON THE FRONT FLAT PLATE. AROUND THE INLET AREA ICE/SNOW HAD PACKED IN ALMOST TO THE POINT OF PLUGGING IT COMPLETELY. A MODERATE BUILDUP WAS ALSO UNDER THE SPINNER ON THE COWL TIN BY THE STARTER AND IN BOTH CABIN AIR INTAKE SCOOPS. THE TURB ENCOUNTERED MUST HAVE DEVELOPED RAPIDLY OR WAS AT A LOWER ALT THAN THE ARRIVING JET TFC WAS USING. IN ANY EVENT THE WX ENCOUNTERED THAT EVENING WAS SEVERE FOR THOSE MINS THAT SEEMED VERY LONG.

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.

Pilot of a piper PA24 commanche entered icing and turbulence during en route and approach causing a rough running engine. It was learned during postflt inspection that impact icing of the engine cowling inlet to the engine carburetor caused the rough running engine.