<< >> NASA ASRS Report 386487, November 1997

Pilot of small aircraft has loss of airspeed, egt up abnormally and cabin becomes very warm. He declares an emergency and is vectored to a landing at iad.

Attributes
ACN	386487
Time
Date	199711
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : iad
State Reference	VA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 10000 msl bound upper : 10000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : iad
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise other other
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 30 flight time total : 1300 flight time type : 200
ASRS Report	386487
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical inflight encounter : weather inflight encounter other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

In level cruise at 10000 ft with autoplt on, noted simultaneously 1) low airspeed, 2) plane attitude nose up, 3) decreasing altitude, 4) egt up abnormally, and 5) cabin becoming suddenly warm. I immediately stopped autoplt yet continued to lose altitude. I informed dulles approach I needed closest airport. They asked if I was declaring an emergency and I responded 'yes.' I was vectored back to dulles and made routine landing. After landing I consulted 2 mechanics including (by long distance) my local mechanic. All checks failed to reveal any problem with engine. They advised trip could be continued. I departed without further incident. Probable cause: windshear with large area of downdraft (sinking air). This plane's climb rate at 10000 ft is anemic and was probably outmatched by strong winter frontal system. Autoplt progressively tried to maintain altitude by raising nose, ram air decreased (with cowl flaps closed) leading to higher temperatures including loss of cabin ventilation.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF SMA HAS LOSS OF AIRSPD, EGT UP ABNORMALLY AND CABIN BECOMES VERY WARM. HE DECLARES AN EMER AND IS VECTORED TO A LNDG AT IAD.

Narrative: IN LEVEL CRUISE AT 10000 FT WITH AUTOPLT ON, NOTED SIMULTANEOUSLY 1) LOW AIRSPD, 2) PLANE ATTITUDE NOSE UP, 3) DECREASING ALT, 4) EGT UP ABNORMALLY, AND 5) CABIN BECOMING SUDDENLY WARM. I IMMEDIATELY STOPPED AUTOPLT YET CONTINUED TO LOSE ALT. I INFORMED DULLES APCH I NEEDED CLOSEST ARPT. THEY ASKED IF I WAS DECLARING AN EMER AND I RESPONDED 'YES.' I WAS VECTORED BACK TO DULLES AND MADE ROUTINE LNDG. AFTER LNDG I CONSULTED 2 MECHS INCLUDING (BY LONG DISTANCE) MY LCL MECH. ALL CHKS FAILED TO REVEAL ANY PROB WITH ENG. THEY ADVISED TRIP COULD BE CONTINUED. I DEPARTED WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. PROBABLE CAUSE: WINDSHEAR WITH LARGE AREA OF DOWNDRAFT (SINKING AIR). THIS PLANE'S CLB RATE AT 10000 FT IS ANEMIC AND WAS PROBABLY OUTMATCHED BY STRONG WINTER FRONTAL SYS. AUTOPLT PROGRESSIVELY TRIED TO MAINTAIN ALT BY RAISING NOSE, RAM AIR DECREASED (WITH COWL FLAPS CLOSED) LEADING TO HIGHER TEMPS INCLUDING LOSS OF CABIN VENTILATION.

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.