Diversion to an alternate airport after an SR20 pilot runs into icing conditions that were not forec...

Attributes
ACN	573988
Time
Date	200202
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : agc.airport
State Reference	PA
Altitude	msl single value : 8000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Weather Elements	Ice
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zob.artcc
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	SR20
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 35 flight time total : 3600 flight time type : 730
ASRS Report	573988
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical inflight encounter : weather inflight encounter other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	aircraft : equipment problem dissipated flight crew : diverted to another airport flight crew : exited adverse environment
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft Flight Crew Human Performance Weather
Primary Problem	Weather

Narrative:

Flight was to deliver patient from ZZZ to agc. WX briefing was extensive. No icing was expected due to dry air and temperature, flight conditions to be below -15 degrees C. Flight entered brief IMC (+/-5 mins) at 8000 ft, outside air temperature -17 degrees C. Gradually became aware that windshield was frozen over. No deice equipment. Landing not possible with no visibility, so requested landing at mdt (course reversal would give good tailwind to get to VMC quickly). Windshield heat ineffective on ice until much lower, but finally at 4000 ft (outside air temperature -8 degrees C), ice dissipated. Elected to land at cxy to minimize impact on ATC. Landing uneventful.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DIVERSION TO AN ALTERNATE ARPT AFTER AN SR20 PLT RUNS INTO ICING CONDITIONS THAT WERE NOT FORECAST NEAR AGC, PA.

Narrative: FLT WAS TO DELIVER PATIENT FROM ZZZ TO AGC. WX BRIEFING WAS EXTENSIVE. NO ICING WAS EXPECTED DUE TO DRY AIR AND TEMP, FLT CONDITIONS TO BE BELOW -15 DEGS C. FLT ENTERED BRIEF IMC (+/-5 MINS) AT 8000 FT, OUTSIDE AIR TEMP -17 DEGS C. GRADUALLY BECAME AWARE THAT WINDSHIELD WAS FROZEN OVER. NO DEICE EQUIP. LNDG NOT POSSIBLE WITH NO VISIBILITY, SO REQUESTED LNDG AT MDT (COURSE REVERSAL WOULD GIVE GOOD TAILWIND TO GET TO VMC QUICKLY). WINDSHIELD HEAT INEFFECTIVE ON ICE UNTIL MUCH LOWER, BUT FINALLY AT 4000 FT (OUTSIDE AIR TEMP -8 DEGS C), ICE DISSIPATED. ELECTED TO LAND AT CXY TO MINIMIZE IMPACT ON ATC. LNDG UNEVENTFUL.

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.

Diversion to an alternate airport after an SR20 pilot runs into icing conditions that were not forecast near agc, PA.