An MU2 encounters icing resulting in a stall, spin and a 4500 ft loss of altitude before recovery co...

Attributes
ACN	519723
Time
Date	200107
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : fai.vortac
State Reference	AK
Altitude	msl bound lower : 10500 msl bound upper : 15000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Weather Elements	Ice
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zan.artcc artcc : zny.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	MU-2 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 135
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : atp pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 250 flight time total : 2100 flight time type : 15
ASRS Report	519723
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter other non adherence : company policies non adherence : published procedure other anomaly
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : regained aircraft control flight crew : exited adverse environment
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Weather Aircraft
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

Stall/spin during climb out in icing conditions. Approximately 1 inch of ice accumulation (before boot operation). Airspeed approximately 125 KIAS. Rate of climb approximately 200 FPM. Deice boots in operation, bulk of ice shed leaving rough patches behind. Rate of ice accumulation in cloud tops was higher than lower cloud area. Aircraft stalled and spun to the left. Initially the spin was recognized and normal recovery was initiated. Aircraft lost approximately 4500 ft in 3-4 spin entries. Aircraft was recovered in VMC at approximately 10500 ft. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter said that during climb into forecast icing conditions, published procedures for the operation were followed. Icing appeared to be light and well within the guidelines recommended to visually evaluate icing on the airframe. Penetration into the icing area was made at the recommended 180 KTS during climb. Clouds were noted to be thinning with blue above. In an effort to reach for the blue sky, airspeed was allowed to decrease to approximately 125 KTS just prior to the initial stall. The captain was the PF. He did not appear to be alarmed by the icing, however, his experience level was approximately 200 hours in type. He is reported to have operated this type aircraft in similar conditions with success. The company involved has set a minimum airspeed limit of 170 KTS in icing conditions.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN MU2 ENCOUNTERS ICING RESULTING IN A STALL, SPIN AND A 4500 FT LOSS OF ALT BEFORE RECOVERY COULD BE MADE.

Narrative: STALL/SPIN DURING CLBOUT IN ICING CONDITIONS. APPROX 1 INCH OF ICE ACCUMULATION (BEFORE BOOT OP). AIRSPD APPROX 125 KIAS. RATE OF CLB APPROX 200 FPM. DEICE BOOTS IN OP, BULK OF ICE SHED LEAVING ROUGH PATCHES BEHIND. RATE OF ICE ACCUMULATION IN CLOUD TOPS WAS HIGHER THAN LOWER CLOUD AREA. ACFT STALLED AND SPUN TO THE L. INITIALLY THE SPIN WAS RECOGNIZED AND NORMAL RECOVERY WAS INITIATED. ACFT LOST APPROX 4500 FT IN 3-4 SPIN ENTRIES. ACFT WAS RECOVERED IN VMC AT APPROX 10500 FT. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR SAID THAT DURING CLB INTO FORECAST ICING CONDITIONS, PUBLISHED PROCS FOR THE OP WERE FOLLOWED. ICING APPEARED TO BE LIGHT AND WELL WITHIN THE GUIDELINES RECOMMENDED TO VISUALLY EVALUATE ICING ON THE AIRFRAME. PENETRATION INTO THE ICING AREA WAS MADE AT THE RECOMMENDED 180 KTS DURING CLB. CLOUDS WERE NOTED TO BE THINNING WITH BLUE ABOVE. IN AN EFFORT TO REACH FOR THE BLUE SKY, AIRSPD WAS ALLOWED TO DECREASE TO APPROX 125 KTS JUST PRIOR TO THE INITIAL STALL. THE CAPT WAS THE PF. HE DID NOT APPEAR TO BE ALARMED BY THE ICING, HOWEVER, HIS EXPERIENCE LEVEL WAS APPROX 200 HRS IN TYPE. HE IS RPTED TO HAVE OPERATED THIS TYPE ACFT IN SIMILAR CONDITIONS WITH SUCCESS. THE COMPANY INVOLVED HAS SET A MINIMUM AIRSPD LIMIT OF 170 KTS IN ICING CONDITIONS.

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.

An MU2 encounters icing resulting in a stall, spin and a 4500 ft loss of altitude before recovery could be made.