<< >> NASA ASRS Report 230593, January 1993

Private pilot lost control of his small aircraft during an IFR flight due to wing icing resulting in deviating from assigned altitude.

Attributes
ACN	230593
Time
Date	199301
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : eed
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 6300 msl bound upper : 7000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute airway : zla
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 20 flight time total : 650 flight time type : 35
ASRS Report	230593
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude inflight encounter : weather other anomaly other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : exited adverse environment flight crew : declared emergency
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

Aircraft picked up ice in cruise east of eed. Reported to ATC as moderate to severe rime. ATC urged us to continue ahead as other aircraft 15-20 mi ahead of us were not experiencing ice problems. We finally elected to turn around and return to eed for landing. Was cleared to descend, maintain 7000 ft MSL to eed VORTAC. 7 DME east of eed, stall horn came on. Full power was set. Aircraft retrimmed to maintain 7000 ft MSL. 5 DME east of eed, aircraft would no longer maintain 7000 ft MSL. 200 FPM descent kept aircraft from stalling, but unable to maintain altitude restriction. We began seeing holes through cloud bases at 6300 ft MSL and descended through those breaks to VFR conditions. Was in the clear VFR by 5800-5900 ft MSL when IFR was cancelled. Visual approach made to eed airport. Aircraft was clear of ice by touchdown at eed.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PVT PLT LOST CTL OF HIS SMA DURING AN IFR FLT DUE TO WING ICING RESULTING IN DEVIATING FROM ASSIGNED ALT.

Narrative: ACFT PICKED UP ICE IN CRUISE E OF EED. RPTED TO ATC AS MODERATE TO SEVERE RIME. ATC URGED US TO CONTINUE AHEAD AS OTHER ACFT 15-20 MI AHEAD OF US WERE NOT EXPERIENCING ICE PROBS. WE FINALLY ELECTED TO TURN AROUND AND RETURN TO EED FOR LNDG. WAS CLRED TO DSND, MAINTAIN 7000 FT MSL TO EED VORTAC. 7 DME E OF EED, STALL HORN CAME ON. FULL PWR WAS SET. ACFT RETRIMMED TO MAINTAIN 7000 FT MSL. 5 DME E OF EED, ACFT WOULD NO LONGER MAINTAIN 7000 FT MSL. 200 FPM DSCNT KEPT ACFT FROM STALLING, BUT UNABLE TO MAINTAIN ALT RESTRICTION. WE BEGAN SEEING HOLES THROUGH CLOUD BASES AT 6300 FT MSL AND DSNDED THROUGH THOSE BREAKS TO VFR CONDITIONS. WAS IN THE CLR VFR BY 5800-5900 FT MSL WHEN IFR WAS CANCELLED. VISUAL APCH MADE TO EED ARPT. ACFT WAS CLR OF ICE BY TOUCHDOWN AT EED.

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.