Flying Through the Center of a Trough Should Have Been Uneventful

A combination of weather and decision-making leads to a flight narrative worth sharing.

Thursday, April 25, 2024 at 09:50 AM ET

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FLYING contributor Scott Dennstaedt says he learned some valuable lessons on a memorable 2006 flight from the right-hand seat. [iStock]

Key Takeaways:

The author, an aviation weather expert, experienced severe turbulence and icing as a passenger when the pilot chose an eastern route into a developing nor'easter, despite the author's preference for a safer western route.
The flight encountered rapid clear ice accretion and severe chop between 4,500 and 8,000 feet, necessitating a diversion to Richmond, Virginia.
Post-flight analysis revealed the severe turbulence was caused by significant vertical wind shear and an unstable air layer, reinforcing the lesson of proactive route negotiation with air traffic control and diligent weather avoidance.

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Over the last 25 years, I have been asked to speak on various aviation weather topics at dozens of aviation events and gatherings.

During these events, it’s quite common for a pilot to walk up and ask me about how I handled my most challenging flight as it relates to weather. Maybe they were expecting to hear something juicy; I don’t know. While I don’t want to disappoint them about a harrowing recount of one of my prior flights, my response is usually the same. I don’t have such a story since I am always diligent about minimizing my exposure to adverse weather when I am the pilot in command (PIC).