Guess what I picked up!

[Carl S]

I flew my wife down to Houston over the weekend so that we could visit with her cousin and family. The flight from GKY to T41 was uneventful and quite pleasant. I finally got to demonstrate the usefulness of having a current IFR aircraft and rating, we got about 8 minutes of actual as we punched out of Arlington and I mentioned that if we were flying VFR, we would have to drive.

 

In another thread T41 was mentioned as a good alternative for landing and it turned out to be a perfect choice. Cody at Tri-Star aviation was friendly and got us situated after landing as we waited for our ride.

 

We were a bit late getting out of T41 but I felt we'd still be able to get back into Arlington before sunset.  However, ATC decided to vector us way out to the west before turning us north to head on up to LOA.DODJE4. Passing THING we were lowered into the clouds and shortly after DODGE and then vectored toward the ILS.  ATC asked us to maintain as much forward speed as possible; we were being sandwiched into the turbo and jet traffic coming in for the Cowboys game. ATC cleared us to the ILS and asked that we maintain at least 150 Kts until MYKES, better if we could manage, and contact tower. (Still being relatively low time Mooney pilot with not much actual IFR, I have been practicing approaches like a 182 or Warrior type pilot.)

 

As we passed through about 2900' or so I noticed that the windshield was starting to pick up a little ice. I pulled the defrost knob immediately and got established on the localizer by 2300'. ASOS said the overcast was at 1700 feet so it was quite a relief when the glideslope came alive. I looked up to check and saw the windshield was white - except for a little hole about 5 inches in diameter where the defroster was keeping the Plexiglas warm enough. At MYKES I was still hot and now going downhill. Too fast for the gear I forgot everything I had read and popped the speed brakes up.  That got us slowed down enough to get the gear out and that helped to slow us further. Soon, we popped out of the clouds and I could see the PAPI -- all white, and my nose pointed to the east of centerline.  I had been concentrating on slowing down so much that I was not paying the glideslope as much attention as I should have. However, rather quickly, the first white turned red and then the second turned red too quickly after that. I added throttle as the third turned red and then more to keep the fourth just at white.

 

I used even more throttle and noted that my airspeed was only 80 Kts and slowly dropping. Now, at about 100' the fourth PAPI was red and I pushed the throttle in further to drag us across the threshold. The landing was not the very smoothest that I have ever made but it was surprisingly gentle after all of that. No bounce and just a bit of side drift from the crosswind. When tower cleared us to taxi to parking and monitor ground I think I finally started breathing again. Or, at least that is when I noticed I was breathing again. I also noticed the ice on my wings. It didn't look too bad but I started thinking that the weight of the ice, in addition to its effect on the airfoil shape must be what caused me to have to use so much more throttle than normal on the final. However, when I shut down and switched off the master I heard the tell-tale THUNK of the speed brakes retracting.  I really thought that I had retracted them after MYKES but whether I forgot, or the ice had kept them up, they were out for the entire final. Then again, they are so far aft of the chord line I am not sure they played much of a role below 100 Kts.

 

After thinking about it for these past few days I cannot say that I am glad for the experience. However, I am at ease with myself in the way that I flew the situation. I think I have captured and learned from my mistakes and I'll go up and practice approaches to FAF at higher Mooney speeds. I'll also take a more critical view of the weather and what it might do if I am late in getting launched.

[piperpainter]

Thanks for the story! Don't ever hesitate to tell ATC unable so that you can slow things down. They can move a jet or two so that you can get in. And also if you start picking up ice, tell ATC that you're picking up ice (along with type & intensity so they can give a PIREP) and you do not have ice equipment! This should let them know to let you do what you need to get safely on the ground. I've told ATC unable a few times. It's one thing to be in a heated building on the ground with screens, it's another to be in a cockpit with lots of stress going 150kts! 

[Danb]

The good thing is your safe, and learned experience usually d/n come fro blogs but from actually doing things correct and of course incorrect.you learned an immense amount of aviating in 10 minutes and are here to share. Awesome, think practice and remember. We have all made these errors best is keep them at a minimum don't let the accumulate and get out of control. I v been flying 30 yrs and seem to keep learning. Esp. Re icing. Respect. But you have yo have the experience to make the approximate decisions,unless you choose to only fly in clear sky's..very glad all turned out well and panic did not take over......now lesson #24. Stay safe. Fly safe and learn. When that stops we should.

[Steve65E-NC]

Once in a Cherokee , at night, on an IFR flight plan, pre-mooney, about 1990,  I was going from home base on the East side of the App mountains to Knoxville.  I climbed high in a beautiul clear sky to get over Mt. Mitchel.  Once past the high ridge I did not really think about the overcast layer that often accumulates West of the mountains.  I asked ATC for lower and they put me down in the soup.  I immediately started to accumulate some ice.  I asked to be put back up in the clear but ATC did not give it too me.  I continued on, picked up the ILS, and broke out to higher temps well above minimums.  When I landed  I heard  ice rattle off.  Two lessons for me.  Stay out of any potentially freezing clouds as much as possible.  If I were doing it again, I would decare an emergency and climb out of the layer.  If I had waited for them to give me lower, I do not think I would have picked up much ice.  

[Txbyker]

Curious, when you left T41 what was the forecasted temps aloft at Arlington for 3000 feet? Was there any moisture forecasted? Just trying to learn from your situation. I have been told no speed brakes when ice present. Hate those towers southeast of the field.

Russ

[AndyFromCB]

No reason to freak out. The wing will carry an inch on the leading edge at vrf plus 15 wit no issue. Don't drop the flaps bey

[Marauder]

You didn't mention your weather briefing. With an instrument rating in your pocket, it is time to go beyond what you learned about weather in your training. Check out the ADDS site and learn to read Skew-Ts. It will help you understand the weather better and help take some of the surprises out of your flying.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[DaV8or]

No reason to freak out. The wing will carry an inch on the leading edge at vrf plus 15 wit no issue. Don't drop the flaps bey

 

What are you trying to say? Do you have a reference for this? Has there been some official testing, or data on this, or is this just what you've gotten away with?

[Carl S]

For weather on this flight I used DCT Duat,, and the NOAA site (ADDS?).  I also checked the charts (from NOAA) on Foreflight as we were driving to the airport (I was in the back seat.)  Freezing level graphics looked to be at 9000 or better. There were no Pireps for icing in the area. I either missed or misread something so I have gotten the weather books out again and am re-reading. 

 

Knowing that the wing can carry an inch of ice on the leading edge is cold comfort so I plan on staying out in the future.  

[FlyDave]

What are you trying to say? Do you have a reference for this? Has there been some official testing, or data on this, or is this just what you've gotten away with?

 

Dave,

 

Read this initial review of the 231:

 

http://www.mooneypilots.com/mapalog/M20K231%20Eval%20Files/M20K231_Eval.htm

 

201_MSE is flying a 201 but I think some of this would apply to the 201 as well - at altitudes that you can maintain 65-70% power.

I AM NOT ADVOCATING FLYING ANY MOONEY IN ICING CONDITIONS! I'm just pointing to a previous evaluation.

 

FlyDave

[Carl S]

Thanks for that. 

 

-- Carl

[N201MKTurbo]

I can say from experience that a Mooney will carry more ice then most people give it credit for.

 

You have to watch your OAT like a hawk. If it goes below 0 and you are in the clouds you will probably get some ice. It all depends on the liquid water content of the clouds.

 

I think it is interesting, in your whole description you didn't mention what the OAT was. When I'm in those conditions I remember the OAT more then the airspeed or altitude.

[Txbyker]

Not sure if this link works for you but it is historical weather.

 

http://vortex.plymouth.edu/cgi-bin/gen_sa_parse-u.cgi?ident=TX&if=sfc_dat&yy=13&mm=12&dd=29&hh=22

 

You can see the historical METARs for Texas for the 29th at 22Z.  KAFW Alliance describes what you ran into.  Freezing drizzle, OVC 1600 with ice forming on metal services.  A METAR like this does not present many escape routes.

 

Russ

[DaV8or]

Dave,

 

Read this initial review of the 231:

 

http://www.mooneypilots.com/mapalog/M20K231%20Eval%20Files/M20K231_Eval.htm

 

201_MSE is flying a 201 but I think some of this would apply to the 201 as well - at altitudes that you can maintain 65-70% power.

I AM NOT ADVOCATING FLYING ANY MOONEY IN ICING CONDITIONS! I'm just pointing to a previous evaluation.

 

FlyDave

 

Oh. OK. Some guy on the internet says you can drive your Mooney around with an inch of ice on the wing and it's all good as long as you don't drop the flaps. Got it. How about an inch and a half? Anybody try that yet? I wonder what the limit is? Maybe somebody with a Go Pro can show us one day.

[M016576]

I can say from experience that a Mooney will carry more ice then most people give it credit for.

You have to watch your OAT like a hawk. If it goes below 0 and you are in the clouds you will probably get some ice. It all depends on the liquid water content of the clouds.

I think it is interesting, in your whole description you didn't mention what the OAT was. When I'm in those conditions I remember the OAT more then the airspeed or altitude.

I've been in clouds hundreds of times in various different jets and prop aircraft with OAT's below 0 and not picked up any ice. I've also seen rime form at 2C. Ice is where you find it, unfortunately, although the NOAA prediction models do seem to be getting better.

Just because you're in a cloud at 0C doesn't mean ice will form; but you know that- your statement is a safe one to follow and a good rule of thumb for a GA IFR pilot with no de-ice.

[M016576]

Not sure if this link works for you but it is historical weather.

http://vortex.plymouth.edu/cgi-bin/gen_sa_parse-u.cgi?ident=TX&if=sfc_dat&yy=13&mm=12&dd=29&hh=22

You can see the historical METARs for Texas for the 29th at 22Z. KAFW Alliance describes what you ran into. Freezing drizzle, OVC 1600 with ice forming on metal services. A METAR like this does not present many escape routes.

Russ

Freezing rain and SLD: that stuff can drop anything flying... Like that TBM a year or two ago over Jersey (or was it a PC-12?)...

[carusoam]

Get a good visual on your alternate air source as well. It is a small system with a piece of wire operating it. If the wire bends instead of opening the valve, the alternate air may become inop. This could be potentially challenging, when the air filter out front gets covered by snow/ice.

Not trying to raise fear, just awareness.

Experience from my '65C,

-a-

[DAVIDWH]

Wing ice is one thing, tail feather ice---Much more dangerous.

 

You got to love those hangers in the Winter.

[Dave Marten]

If it's on the wings it's on the tail. The smaller radius of the horizontal means probably even more ice is accumulating on it then even on the wing leading edge.

Minimize the exposure. You can see that even a brief encounter with SLD has a dramatic impact. Know where to find good air. Descending on approach know the weather below, so as to ascertain your exposure. A letdown through May be faster than trying to climb out. Speak up on the radio. You don't necessarily need to declare, but you must take prompt action. Go back to good air (course reversal) if required. Get out quickly.

If you find yourself in a similar condition and now have ice:

Increase final approach airspeed when attempting to land with ice contamination. Add 10 knots minimum, and increase as needed for increasing pucker factor! (In my 231 I would choose 100KIAS until I was sure I could make the runway). I will not use flaps in a GA single if iced, because the flaps will add a pitching moment requiring a retrim of the tail while flaps also change the airflow around the horizontal tail increasing potential for a tail stall. If I'm safely able to maintain 90-100kias then I'm going to minimize the variables by holding that config and only reducing power as I approach the threshold. Remember even small amounts of ice can result in a 40% decrease in lift and a 40% increase in drag. Your stall speed will significantly increase so don't get close to your normal Vs.

Good points about pitot heat, alternate air source. Another fun surprise is when your static ports ice over during an ice encounter. Know how to activate your alternate static source also. Not fun at night. Another story for another time.