Icing affects flight operations in many ways. Accordingly, we offer some thought-provoking reports from pilots who’ve been there. Little has been said about instrument malfunctions due to icing, and we discuss those in particular.
Chilly Carburetors
An instrument-rated Commercial pilot operating VFR experienced a sudden power interruption in his Cessna 150, followed by a surge and another interruption. He pumped the throttle to get intermittent power and enriched the mixture but did not apply carburetor heat. Gliding toward a diversionary airport, he activated the carb heat, but the engine was probably too cool by then for there to be enough heat left.
