<< >> NASA ASRS Report 212860, June 1992

An small aircraft private pilot picked up a load of ice, declared an emergency, and landed at an en route airport. The pilot was flying at 15000 ft without supplemental oxygen.

Attributes
ACN	212860
Time
Date	199206
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : oal
State Reference	NV
Altitude	msl bound lower : 15000 msl bound upper : 15000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zoa
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft
Flight Phase	cruise other descent : approach landing other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors enroute airway : zoa
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 50 flight time total : 800 flight time type : 600
ASRS Report	212860
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	other personnel other
Qualification	other
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : weather non adherence : far other anomaly other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : declared emergency flight crew : exited adverse environment
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation other

Narrative:

I planned to fly VFR direct sql to tex. The WX briefer indicated the WX was unsuitable for VFR on that route. He did indicate the WX was much better farther south, in mid and south nv. After talking to the briefer, I planned a flight sql to manteca V-244 coaldale V-105, with boulder city, nv, (61B) the destination. I made several mistakes. I planned the route after I got the briefing hence no full route briefing. I misread the chart for MEA, 15000 in this case. I thought it was 11000. I flew too high without oxygen. The local WX was improving I thought I could get 'on top' and be in VMC. Approximately 50 mi off coaldale, everything was normal. I was picking up a trace of rime ice -- no problem. Suddenly, I must have (???) encountered supercooled water. The controls froze and control travel was restr, the propeller froze, and the carburetor froze, causing a severe loss of power. Repeated application of carburetor ice seemed to resolve the problem. In the meantime, I declared an emergency and ZOA vectored me to tph where I landed without incident.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN SMA PRIVATE PLT PICKED UP A LOAD OF ICE, DECLARED AN EMER, AND LANDED AT AN ENRTE ARPT. THE PLT WAS FLYING AT 15000 FT WITHOUT SUPPLEMENTAL OXYGEN.

Narrative: I PLANNED TO FLY VFR DIRECT SQL TO TEX. THE WX BRIEFER INDICATED THE WX WAS UNSUITABLE FOR VFR ON THAT RTE. HE DID INDICATE THE WX WAS MUCH BETTER FARTHER S, IN MID AND S NV. AFTER TALKING TO THE BRIEFER, I PLANNED A FLT SQL TO MANTECA V-244 COALDALE V-105, WITH BOULDER CITY, NV, (61B) THE DEST. I MADE SEVERAL MISTAKES. I PLANNED THE RTE AFTER I GOT THE BRIEFING HENCE NO FULL RTE BRIEFING. I MISREAD THE CHART FOR MEA, 15000 IN THIS CASE. I THOUGHT IT WAS 11000. I FLEW TOO HIGH WITHOUT OXYGEN. THE LCL WX WAS IMPROVING I THOUGHT I COULD GET 'ON TOP' AND BE IN VMC. APPROX 50 MI OFF COALDALE, EVERYTHING WAS NORMAL. I WAS PICKING UP A TRACE OF RIME ICE -- NO PROBLEM. SUDDENLY, I MUST HAVE (???) ENCOUNTERED SUPERCOOLED WATER. THE CTLS FROZE AND CTL TRAVEL WAS RESTR, THE PROP FROZE, AND THE CARB FROZE, CAUSING A SEVERE LOSS OF PWR. REPEATED APPLICATION OF CARB ICE SEEMED TO RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. IN THE MEANTIME, I DECLARED AN EMER AND ZOA VECTORED ME TO TPH WHERE I LANDED WITHOUT INCIDENT.

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.