Ice and Tail Stalls

Every year structural icing claims a small but steady number of airplanes. Many of the accidents are on approach in clear air-after the airplane has already collected a load of ice. We look at it afterwards and wonder-the airplane had been doing fine-why did it crash well after it escaped from icing conditions?

Key Takeaways:

• Many post-icing airplane crashes, especially during approach, are caused by tail stalls rather than wing stalls, demanding a precisely opposite recovery technique.
• Tail surfaces are more susceptible to icing and subsequent stalls due to their smaller leading edge radius accumulating proportionally more ice, exacerbated by flap deployment which increases the tail's angle of attack.
• Pilots must differentiate tail stall warnings (e.g., light control wheel, buffeting in the yoke) from wing stall warnings, and if contaminated with ice, recovery involves retracting flaps, reducing power, and applying up elevator, while preventive measures include avoiding flaps on approach.

Key takeaways sponsored by Aviator Pro | Start Your Training ->

See a mistake? Contact us.