 |
37000 Feet | Browse and search NASA's Aviation Safety Reporting System |
|
A PA38 pilot at 4000 ft lost elevator control because of ice and was unable to maintain altitude. Controller declared an emergency and pilot landed at a nearby airport.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 682926 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200512 |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : zzz.airport |
| State Reference | US |
| Altitude | msl single value : 4000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | IMC |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : zzz.tracon |
| Operator | general aviation : personal |
| Make Model Name | PA-38 Tomahawk |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Flight Phase | cruise : level |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : commercial pilot : instrument |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 300 flight time total : 1200 flight time type : 600 |
| ASRS Report | 682926 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : radar |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | inflight encounter : weather non adherence : far other anomaly |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | controller : provided flight assist flight crew : declared emergency flight crew : diverted to another airport |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Weather Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | Weather |
Narrative:
At first I noticed a smear of ice over the landing edges. This did not seem to build. When the ice did begin to accumulate on my wings; I tried to maintain altitude until I ran out of backwards movement on the yoke. At the point where I realized I could not hold my altitude; I asked for the nearest airport to land. ATC was very helpful; and I landed at ZZZ. The ATC controller did mention that he would declare an emergency on my behalf. Should this situation occur again; and if I was to use this experience to give advice to fellow pilots; I would suggest that at the first sign of icing the pilot would be advised to turn his craft around and head in the opposite direction.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: A PA38 PLT AT 4000 FT LOST ELEVATOR CTL BECAUSE OF ICE AND WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN ALT. CTLR DECLARED AN EMER AND PLT LANDED AT A NEARBY ARPT.
Narrative: AT FIRST I NOTICED A SMEAR OF ICE OVER THE LNDG EDGES. THIS DID NOT SEEM TO BUILD. WHEN THE ICE DID BEGIN TO ACCUMULATE ON MY WINGS; I TRIED TO MAINTAIN ALT UNTIL I RAN OUT OF BACKWARDS MOVEMENT ON THE YOKE. AT THE POINT WHERE I REALIZED I COULD NOT HOLD MY ALT; I ASKED FOR THE NEAREST ARPT TO LAND. ATC WAS VERY HELPFUL; AND I LANDED AT ZZZ. THE ATC CTLR DID MENTION THAT HE WOULD DECLARE AN EMER ON MY BEHALF. SHOULD THIS SITUATION OCCUR AGAIN; AND IF I WAS TO USE THIS EXPERIENCE TO GIVE ADVICE TO FELLOW PLTS; I WOULD SUGGEST THAT AT THE FIRST SIGN OF ICING THE PLT WOULD BE ADVISED TO TURN HIS CRAFT AROUND AND HEAD IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION.
Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.