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BE35 pilot encountered light icing in cruise. After descending to divert because of WX, he encountered severe icing and an inoperative gup VOR DME.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 421365 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199811 |
| Day | Sun |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : gup airport : gup |
| State Reference | NM |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 8000 msl bound upper : 8000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | IMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zab |
| Operator | general aviation : personal |
| Make Model Name | Bonanza 35 |
| Flight Phase | descent : approach descent other other |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | Other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : instrument pilot : private |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 40 flight time total : 1000 flight time type : 750 |
| ASRS Report | 421365 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : radar |
| Qualification | controller : radar |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | inflight encounter : weather non adherence : far other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | other |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Weather |
| Air Traffic Incident | other |
Narrative:
I called prescott FSS on morning of nov/xa/98. Briefer did not tell me that gup DME was out. As a result, I was at 15000 ft when I started to pick up light ice. I thought it was prudent to land at the closest airport. Since I was just west of gup on the airway about 15 NM, I proceeded to tell center I was icing, and I wanted to do the approach to gup. As I started to do the approach, I noticed I had no DME. I reported to center I had no DME, and then overshot the field. At that time, I started to pick up severe icing, and I was still IMC. Not knowing the terrain, I was unsure of my distance from the ground or a mountain. Center turned me back to the VOR to find I was perfectly lined up with the field, and I was still in severe ice. As center called the field, I descended with no other choice but to break out, which I did, and landed safely. Prescott should have reported with NOTAMS that DME was out. Center said they checked and prescott had failed to report that to me. Had I known, that would have influenced my decision to land or not to go.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: BE35 PLT ENCOUNTERED LIGHT ICING IN CRUISE. AFTER DSNDING TO DIVERT BECAUSE OF WX, HE ENCOUNTERED SEVERE ICING AND AN INOP GUP VOR DME.
Narrative: I CALLED PRESCOTT FSS ON MORNING OF NOV/XA/98. BRIEFER DID NOT TELL ME THAT GUP DME WAS OUT. AS A RESULT, I WAS AT 15000 FT WHEN I STARTED TO PICK UP LIGHT ICE. I THOUGHT IT WAS PRUDENT TO LAND AT THE CLOSEST ARPT. SINCE I WAS JUST W OF GUP ON THE AIRWAY ABOUT 15 NM, I PROCEEDED TO TELL CTR I WAS ICING, AND I WANTED TO DO THE APCH TO GUP. AS I STARTED TO DO THE APCH, I NOTICED I HAD NO DME. I RPTED TO CTR I HAD NO DME, AND THEN OVERSHOT THE FIELD. AT THAT TIME, I STARTED TO PICK UP SEVERE ICING, AND I WAS STILL IMC. NOT KNOWING THE TERRAIN, I WAS UNSURE OF MY DISTANCE FROM THE GND OR A MOUNTAIN. CTR TURNED ME BACK TO THE VOR TO FIND I WAS PERFECTLY LINED UP WITH THE FIELD, AND I WAS STILL IN SEVERE ICE. AS CTR CALLED THE FIELD, I DSNDED WITH NO OTHER CHOICE BUT TO BREAK OUT, WHICH I DID, AND LANDED SAFELY. PRESCOTT SHOULD HAVE RPTED WITH NOTAMS THAT DME WAS OUT. CTR SAID THEY CHKED AND PRESCOTT HAD FAILED TO RPT THAT TO ME. HAD I KNOWN, THAT WOULD HAVE INFLUENCED MY DECISION TO LAND OR NOT TO GO.
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.