Narrative:

The flight was planned to cruise at FL260. The preflight planning showed some light precipitation midway along the route of flight with the expectation of being able to climb above the WX in VMC and then a VMC descent to the destination. Freezing level was around 15000 ft MSL. The climb was indeed in VMC. 5 mins after leveloff at FL260 we found ourselves in precipitation with light rime ice building on the wing. We requested descent and during the descent we found that the standby airspeed indicator showed erratic airspeed. The ice on the wings cleared at about FL190; still in IMC. The standby airspeed indicator returned to normal indications at 12000 ft. Approach and landing at the destination was uneventful. The eclipse 500 is not certified for flight into known ice. The eclipse 500 also does not have WX radar installed. The fact that this flight was operated at night contributed to the lack of situational awareness about the actual meteorological conditions of the flight. The lack of functioning WX radar and ice protection makes it very difficult to operate the eclipse in IMC; in the environment in which turbojets are mostly used; namely higher altitude flight. Until the aircraft is fully certified for flight into known ice and until a functioning WX radar is installed; extreme vigilance is needed before operating this aircraft at any altitudes where icing might occur.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: EA50 FLT CREW RPTS ENTERING ICING CONDITIONS AT FL260 WITH AN ACFT THAT IS NOT CURRENTLY CERTIFIED FOR ICING. FLT CREW QUICKLY DSNDS TO WARMER ALT.

Narrative: THE FLT WAS PLANNED TO CRUISE AT FL260. THE PREFLT PLANNING SHOWED SOME LIGHT PRECIP MIDWAY ALONG THE RTE OF FLT WITH THE EXPECTATION OF BEING ABLE TO CLB ABOVE THE WX IN VMC AND THEN A VMC DSCNT TO THE DEST. FREEZING LEVEL WAS AROUND 15000 FT MSL. THE CLB WAS INDEED IN VMC. 5 MINS AFTER LEVELOFF AT FL260 WE FOUND OURSELVES IN PRECIP WITH LIGHT RIME ICE BUILDING ON THE WING. WE REQUESTED DSCNT AND DURING THE DSCNT WE FOUND THAT THE STANDBY AIRSPD INDICATOR SHOWED ERRATIC AIRSPD. THE ICE ON THE WINGS CLRED AT ABOUT FL190; STILL IN IMC. THE STANDBY AIRSPD INDICATOR RETURNED TO NORMAL INDICATIONS AT 12000 FT. APCH AND LNDG AT THE DEST WAS UNEVENTFUL. THE ECLIPSE 500 IS NOT CERTIFIED FOR FLT INTO KNOWN ICE. THE ECLIPSE 500 ALSO DOES NOT HAVE WX RADAR INSTALLED. THE FACT THAT THIS FLT WAS OPERATED AT NIGHT CONTRIBUTED TO THE LACK OF SITUATIONAL AWARENESS ABOUT THE ACTUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS OF THE FLT. THE LACK OF FUNCTIONING WX RADAR AND ICE PROTECTION MAKES IT VERY DIFFICULT TO OPERATE THE ECLIPSE IN IMC; IN THE ENVIRONMENT IN WHICH TURBOJETS ARE MOSTLY USED; NAMELY HIGHER ALT FLT. UNTIL THE ACFT IS FULLY CERTIFIED FOR FLT INTO KNOWN ICE AND UNTIL A FUNCTIONING WX RADAR IS INSTALLED; EXTREME VIGILANCE IS NEEDED BEFORE OPERATING THIS ACFT AT ANY ALTS WHERE ICING MIGHT OCCUR.

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.