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Small aircraft on instrument training flight encounters icing. Attempts higher, more ice. Unable maintain altitude, declares emergency.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 202337 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199202 |
| Day | Wed |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : lan |
| State Reference | MI |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 3000 msl bound upper : 4900 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | IMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : lan |
| Operator | general aviation : instructional |
| Make Model Name | Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear |
| Flight Phase | cruise other |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | Other |
| Function | instruction : instructor |
| Qualification | pilot : instrument pilot : cfi pilot : commercial |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 2400 flight time type : 300 |
| ASRS Report | 202337 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : approach |
| Qualification | controller : radar |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | inflight encounter : weather other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other other : unspecified cockpit |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : declared emergency none taken : unable |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Weather |
Narrative:
Instructional flight was planned for the purpose of obtaining actual IFR experience. WX brief had SIGMET in effect but indicated that freezing level should be 4000 MSL. Called flint ATC, who solicited a PIREP from an small aircraft, who had trace of time at 4000. Flight was initiated with a cruise altitude of 3000 MSL. Reaching 3000, light rime started to develop, ATC (lan) advised that there was a layer at 4500, attempted to climb up, reaching 4900 the aircraft was so iced over that ascent ceased. Was reclred to 3000, unable to maintain 3000, declared an emergency to proceed direct to lansing. Intercepted GS at 1500 MSL and made an uneventful landing. Performance: was hesitant to declare an emergency, due to the legal aspect and/or certificate action. More PIREPS and/or radio-sonde ballons would have indicated the conditions more readily. All PIREPS were received above 4000, not from 3000.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: SMA ON INST TRAINING FLT ENCOUNTERS ICING. ATTEMPTS HIGHER, MORE ICE. UNABLE MAINTAIN ALT, DECLARES EMER.
Narrative: INSTRUCTIONAL FLT WAS PLANNED FOR THE PURPOSE OF OBTAINING ACTUAL IFR EXPERIENCE. WX BRIEF HAD SIGMET IN EFFECT BUT INDICATED THAT FREEZING LEVEL SHOULD BE 4000 MSL. CALLED FLINT ATC, WHO SOLICITED A PIREP FROM AN SMA, WHO HAD TRACE OF TIME AT 4000. FLT WAS INITIATED WITH A CRUISE ALT OF 3000 MSL. REACHING 3000, LIGHT RIME STARTED TO DEVELOP, ATC (LAN) ADVISED THAT THERE WAS A LAYER AT 4500, ATTEMPTED TO CLB UP, REACHING 4900 THE ACFT WAS SO ICED OVER THAT ASCENT CEASED. WAS RECLRED TO 3000, UNABLE TO MAINTAIN 3000, DECLARED AN EMER TO PROCEED DIRECT TO LANSING. INTERCEPTED GS AT 1500 MSL AND MADE AN UNEVENTFUL LNDG. PERFORMANCE: WAS HESITANT TO DECLARE AN EMER, DUE TO THE LEGAL ASPECT AND/OR CERTIFICATE ACTION. MORE PIREPS AND/OR RADIO-SONDE BALLONS WOULD HAVE INDICATED THE CONDITIONS MORE READILY. ALL PIREPS WERE RECEIVED ABOVE 4000, NOT FROM 3000.
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.