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Memphis center controller reported an aircraft that descended below the minimum safe altitude due to icing.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 1612859 |
| Time | |
| Date | 201901 |
| Local Time Of Day | 0001-0600 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | ZME.ARTCC |
| State Reference | TN |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | IMC |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Make Model Name | PA-34-200 Seneca I |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Flight Phase | Cruise |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Function | Enroute |
| Qualification | Air Traffic Control Fully Certified |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | Deviation - Altitude Excursion From Assigned Altitude Inflight Event / Encounter Weather / Turbulence Inflight Event / Encounter CFTT / CFIT |
Narrative:
Aircraft X was IFR from ZZZ. The aircraft had just passed the ZZZ1 airport when I noticed that the aircraft had descended from its initial altitude of 4000 ft. To 3600 ft. And had continued to descend to 3400 ft. I issued a low altitude alert to the aircraft and advised that the aircraft climb to 4000 ft. The pilot then told me that he was heading back to ZZZ. I asked the pilot for the reason for the change in destination and he told me that he was icing up and he did not want to climb back into the clouds where he picked up ice. The aircraft continued to fluctuate in altitude. I advised him that my minimum safe altitude was 3700 ft. The aircraft eventually leveled off at 4000 ft. And went back to ZZZ.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: Memphis Center Controller reported an aircraft that descended below the Minimum Safe Altitude due to icing.
Narrative: Aircraft X was IFR from ZZZ. The aircraft had just passed the ZZZ1 airport when I noticed that the aircraft had descended from its initial altitude of 4000 ft. to 3600 ft. and had continued to descend to 3400 ft. I issued a low altitude alert to the aircraft and advised that the aircraft climb to 4000 ft. The pilot then told me that he was heading back to ZZZ. I asked the pilot for the reason for the change in destination and he told me that he was icing up and he did not want to climb back into the clouds where he picked up ice. The aircraft continued to fluctuate in altitude. I advised him that my minimum safe altitude was 3700 ft. The aircraft eventually leveled off at 4000 ft. and went back to ZZZ.
Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site 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.