 |
37000 Feet | Browse and search NASA's Aviation Safety Reporting System |
|
An emergency is declared by an instrument rated private pilot flying a C172 when he encounters light to moderate icing so that he can descend below the freezing level.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 506538 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200104 |
| Day | Sun |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : cdw.airport |
| State Reference | NJ |
| Altitude | msl single value : 3000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | IMC |
| Weather Elements | Ice |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : n90.tracon artcc : ztl.artcc |
| Operator | general aviation : personal |
| Make Model Name | Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Navigation In Use | ils localizer only : 22 |
| Flight Phase | climbout : intermediate altitude descent : approach |
| Route In Use | approach : instrument non precision arrival : on vectors departure : on vectors |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : private pilot : instrument |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 63 flight time total : 1510 flight time type : 1480 |
| ASRS Report | 506538 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : approach |
| Qualification | controller : radar |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | inflight encounter : weather inflight encounter other |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : declared emergency |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Weather Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | Weather |
Narrative:
Departed cdw airport IFR. IMC at 1400 ft. Started collecting light rime ice in climb to 3000 ft per departure control clearance. Rate of ice accretion increased to moderate. Asked for localizer runway 22 approach and return to cdw. Asked for descent to 2000 ft to get to above freezing temperature. Still collecting ice, declared emergency. Descended to 1500 ft out of IMC and ice rapidly sublimated off the airplane. Completed localizer runway 22 and landed safely at cdw. Although reporter has flown frequently in similar conditions without ice accumulation, will likely delay future departure when cruising altitude is at freezing level in IMC. There were no PIREPS of known icing, however, moisture content of clouds may vary significantly in 'same' temperature/dewpoint conditions. Temperature on ground was 38 degrees F, so thought to be below freezing level at cruise altitude and did not anticipate ice.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: AN EMER IS DECLARED BY AN INST RATED PVT PLT FLYING A C172 WHEN HE ENCOUNTERS LIGHT TO MODERATE ICING SO THAT HE CAN DSND BELOW THE FREEZING LEVEL.
Narrative: DEPARTED CDW ARPT IFR. IMC AT 1400 FT. STARTED COLLECTING LIGHT RIME ICE IN CLB TO 3000 FT PER DEP CTL CLRNC. RATE OF ICE ACCRETION INCREASED TO MODERATE. ASKED FOR LOC RWY 22 APCH AND RETURN TO CDW. ASKED FOR DSCNT TO 2000 FT TO GET TO ABOVE FREEZING TEMP. STILL COLLECTING ICE, DECLARED EMER. DSNDED TO 1500 FT OUT OF IMC AND ICE RAPIDLY SUBLIMATED OFF THE AIRPLANE. COMPLETED LOC RWY 22 AND LANDED SAFELY AT CDW. ALTHOUGH RPTR HAS FLOWN FREQUENTLY IN SIMILAR CONDITIONS WITHOUT ICE ACCUMULATION, WILL LIKELY DELAY FUTURE DEP WHEN CRUISING ALT IS AT FREEZING LEVEL IN IMC. THERE WERE NO PIREPS OF KNOWN ICING, HOWEVER, MOISTURE CONTENT OF CLOUDS MAY VARY SIGNIFICANTLY IN 'SAME' TEMP/DEWPOINT CONDITIONS. TEMP ON GND WAS 38 DEGS F, SO THOUGHT TO BE BELOW FREEZING LEVEL AT CRUISE ALT AND DID NOT ANTICIPATE ICE.
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.