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 icing-related aircraft crashes, particularly during approach, are caused by tail stalls, not wing stalls, which is critical because their recovery procedures are diametrically opposite.
• The tailplane's smaller leading edge makes it more susceptible to significant ice accumulation, and flap deployment further exacerbates tail stalls by increasing the tail's angle of attack.
• Pilots must differentiate tail stall warnings (light controls, control wheel buffet with flaps) from wing stall warnings (airframe buffet) to apply the correct, counter-intuitive recovery: retract flaps, reduce power, and apply strong up elevator.
• Effective prevention for tail stalls in icing conditions includes avoiding ice, keeping flaps retracted during approach, maintaining higher airspeeds, and not reducing power until on the ground.

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