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Piper PA32 pilot requested a higher altitude after observing windshield and wing icing during an IFR flight.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 531115 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200111 |
| Day | Mon |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : cyul.airport |
| State Reference | PQ |
| Altitude | msl single value : 6500 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | IMC |
| Weather Elements | Ice Rain |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : cyul.tracon |
| Operator | general aviation : personal |
| Make Model Name | PA-34-200 Seneca I |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Flight Phase | climbout : intermediate altitude |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine pilot : cfi pilot : commercial |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 240 flight time total : 1650 flight time type : 60 |
| ASRS Report | 531115 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | government : foreign |
| Function | controller : departure |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | inflight encounter : weather other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : windshield and wing ice other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | controller : issued new clearance flight crew : exited adverse environment |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Weather |
| Primary Problem | Weather |
Narrative:
After checking commercial service for en route WX, icing, etc, I departed montreal, dorval at XA30. I had arrived at dorval 1 hour before while flying IMC at 6000 ft in the burlington, vt, area. At 6000 ft the temperature was +3 and no one was reporting any icing in the clouds nor was it forecast till 8000 ft along my route. Upon climbing to 7000 ft, I noticed the air temperature hovering around 0 degrees C but no ice was forming, just water on the airframe. Then at 6700 ft I noticed frozen droplets on the windshield and while checking the wings, etc, the autoplt disconnected and we began a turn to the east. Realizing what was happening, I leveled the wings, requested a climb to 9000 ft because I saw sunlight as we were approaching 7000 ft. On top, the ice disappeared and the problem was over. In hindsight, I would request a lower altitude until reaching warmer air. Even though there was no reported icing by anyone or forecast up to 8000 ft, there is always the first report and I was it. Unless the MEA is a prohibiting factor, fly lower with higher temperature.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: PIPER PA32 PLT REQUESTED A HIGHER ALT AFTER OBSERVING WINDSHIELD AND WING ICING DURING AN IFR FLT.
Narrative: AFTER CHKING COMMERCIAL SVC FOR ENRTE WX, ICING, ETC, I DEPARTED MONTREAL, DORVAL AT XA30. I HAD ARRIVED AT DORVAL 1 HR BEFORE WHILE FLYING IMC AT 6000 FT IN THE BURLINGTON, VT, AREA. AT 6000 FT THE TEMP WAS +3 AND NO ONE WAS RPTING ANY ICING IN THE CLOUDS NOR WAS IT FORECAST TILL 8000 FT ALONG MY RTE. UPON CLBING TO 7000 FT, I NOTICED THE AIR TEMP HOVERING AROUND 0 DEGS C BUT NO ICE WAS FORMING, JUST WATER ON THE AIRFRAME. THEN AT 6700 FT I NOTICED FROZEN DROPLETS ON THE WINDSHIELD AND WHILE CHKING THE WINGS, ETC, THE AUTOPLT DISCONNECTED AND WE BEGAN A TURN TO THE E. REALIZING WHAT WAS HAPPENING, I LEVELED THE WINGS, REQUESTED A CLB TO 9000 FT BECAUSE I SAW SUNLIGHT AS WE WERE APCHING 7000 FT. ON TOP, THE ICE DISAPPEARED AND THE PROB WAS OVER. IN HINDSIGHT, I WOULD REQUEST A LOWER ALT UNTIL REACHING WARMER AIR. EVEN THOUGH THERE WAS NO RPTED ICING BY ANYONE OR FORECAST UP TO 8000 FT, THERE IS ALWAYS THE FIRST RPT AND I WAS IT. UNLESS THE MEA IS A PROHIBITING FACTOR, FLY LOWER WITH HIGHER TEMP.
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.