Unauthorized penetration of airspace by small aircraft with an icing problem.

Attributes
ACN	238882
Time
Date	199304
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : zab
State Reference	NM
Altitude	msl bound lower : 13000 msl bound upper : 13000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zab tower : phl
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 35 flight time total : 290 flight time type : 45
ASRS Report	238882
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical inflight encounter : weather non adherence : clearance other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course flight crew : exited penetrated airspace flight crew : exited adverse environment
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Flight from aeg to srr for business. Filed IFR en route due to mountain obscuration but remained above cloud deck most of flight to srr where missed NDB approach due to low ceiling. Return flight fine until crossing mountains where clouds had risen requiring periods first officer IMC flight during which light icing encountered. Decision to continue due to known cavu conditions 20 NM ahead (now on airway segment as above). Aircraft performance became marginal at the high altitude and with ice. Situation further complicated by loss of static port (thought at the time to be loss of pitot) providing erroneous airspeed, altitude, vsi readings. Informed ATC of this. At this point hands full controling aircraft and let heading wander with 1 and perhaps 2 marginal incursions of R5107H. Subsequently exited clouds and continued VFR to socarro where noted the amount of ice on the airframe. Fortunately, a learning experience -- need to have lower threshold for aborting mission if potential encounter with ice. Need more emphasis in IFR currency work on recognizing and dealing with system malfunction. Need to improve scan performed under conditions of stress. It was this that led to deviating from airway.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: UNAUTH PENETRATION OF AIRSPACE BY SMA WITH AN ICING PROB.

Narrative: FLT FROM AEG TO SRR FOR BUSINESS. FILED IFR ENRTE DUE TO MOUNTAIN OBSCURATION BUT REMAINED ABOVE CLOUD DECK MOST OF FLT TO SRR WHERE MISSED NDB APCH DUE TO LOW CEILING. RETURN FLT FINE UNTIL XING MOUNTAINS WHERE CLOUDS HAD RISEN REQUIRING PERIODS FO IMC FLT DURING WHICH LIGHT ICING ENCOUNTERED. DECISION TO CONTINUE DUE TO KNOWN CAVU CONDITIONS 20 NM AHEAD (NOW ON AIRWAY SEGMENT AS ABOVE). ACFT PERFORMANCE BECAME MARGINAL AT THE HIGH ALT AND WITH ICE. SIT FURTHER COMPLICATED BY LOSS OF STATIC PORT (THOUGHT AT THE TIME TO BE LOSS OF PITOT) PROVIDING ERRONEOUS AIRSPD, ALT, VSI READINGS. INFORMED ATC OF THIS. AT THIS POINT HANDS FULL CTLING ACFT AND LET HDG WANDER WITH 1 AND PERHAPS 2 MARGINAL INCURSIONS OF R5107H. SUBSEQUENTLY EXITED CLOUDS AND CONTINUED VFR TO SOCARRO WHERE NOTED THE AMOUNT OF ICE ON THE AIRFRAME. FORTUNATELY, A LEARNING EXPERIENCE -- NEED TO HAVE LOWER THRESHOLD FOR ABORTING MISSION IF POTENTIAL ENCOUNTER WITH ICE. NEED MORE EMPHASIS IN IFR CURRENCY WORK ON RECOGNIZING AND DEALING WITH SYS MALFUNCTION. NEED TO IMPROVE SCAN PERFORMED UNDER CONDITIONS OF STRESS. IT WAS THIS THAT LED TO DEVIATING FROM AIRWAY.

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.