Narrative:

FSS was contacted several times during day. Forecast was for light to moderate ice with isolated severe ice in freezing rain. Pilot reports and WX information indicated flight could be safely made. Clouds were solid up to 8300 ft but this was within capabilities of aircraft and could be reached in 5-6 mins. Flight plan altitude was 5000 ft. Ice was encountered at 5000 ft, so a climb was made to 7000 ft. No further ice accumulated at 7000 ft, so I remained there. No ice formed for rest of flight until approach. Airplane safely landed at ict without any problem. Deice boots only had to be activated 1 time. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter flies the cessna 402B for a small midwest air freight carrier. Another small air freight air carrier has recently lost several contracts carrying freight for a very large air carrier because the small air carrier could not fly in icing conditions under far 135.227 or comply with far 135 appendix a, paragraph 34. These are the governing regulations under which 135 acrs are allowed to fly in forecast icing conditions. The reporter's aircraft does meet all of these conditions. The reporter flies mostly in the omaha flight standards district office area. He has received a letter of investigation from the wichita flight standards district office about this matter. The wichita flight standards district office has a much stricter interpretation of the FARS than the omaha office. The reporter believes that he has done no wrong, but will continue to send ASRS reports until this situation is cleared up. The reporter has used his deicing equipment only 3 times all winter.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLT INTO FORECAST ICING CONDITIONS.

Narrative: FSS WAS CONTACTED SEVERAL TIMES DURING DAY. FORECAST WAS FOR LIGHT TO MODERATE ICE WITH ISOLATED SEVERE ICE IN FREEZING RAIN. PLT RPTS AND WX INFO INDICATED FLT COULD BE SAFELY MADE. CLOUDS WERE SOLID UP TO 8300 FT BUT THIS WAS WITHIN CAPABILITIES OF ACFT AND COULD BE REACHED IN 5-6 MINS. FLT PLAN ALT WAS 5000 FT. ICE WAS ENCOUNTERED AT 5000 FT, SO A CLB WAS MADE TO 7000 FT. NO FURTHER ICE ACCUMULATED AT 7000 FT, SO I REMAINED THERE. NO ICE FORMED FOR REST OF FLT UNTIL APCH. AIRPLANE SAFELY LANDED AT ICT WITHOUT ANY PROB. DEICE BOOTS ONLY HAD TO BE ACTIVATED 1 TIME. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR FLIES THE CESSNA 402B FOR A SMALL MIDWEST AIR FREIGHT CARRIER. ANOTHER SMALL AIR FREIGHT ACR HAS RECENTLY LOST SEVERAL CONTRACTS CARRYING FREIGHT FOR A VERY LARGE ACR BECAUSE THE SMALL ACR COULD NOT FLY IN ICING CONDITIONS UNDER FAR 135.227 OR COMPLY WITH FAR 135 APPENDIX A, PARAGRAPH 34. THESE ARE THE GOVERNING REGS UNDER WHICH 135 ACRS ARE ALLOWED TO FLY IN FORECAST ICING CONDITIONS. THE RPTR'S ACFT DOES MEET ALL OF THESE CONDITIONS. THE RPTR FLIES MOSTLY IN THE OMAHA FLT STANDARDS DISTRICT OFFICE AREA. HE HAS RECEIVED A LETTER OF INVESTIGATION FROM THE WICHITA FLT STANDARDS DISTRICT OFFICE ABOUT THIS MATTER. THE WICHITA FLT STANDARDS DISTRICT OFFICE HAS A MUCH STRICTER INTERP OF THE FARS THAN THE OMAHA OFFICE. THE RPTR BELIEVES THAT HE HAS DONE NO WRONG, BUT WILL CONTINUE TO SEND ASRS RPTS UNTIL THIS SIT IS CLRED UP. THE RPTR HAS USED HIS DEICING EQUIP ONLY 3 TIMES ALL WINTER.

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.