Register

Ice Isn’t Nice

Gemini Sparkle

Key Takeaways:

  • Airframe icing is an unpredictable and severe hazard, significantly degrading aircraft performance and aerodynamics; pilots are advised to avoid or promptly exit icing conditions.
  • A recent fatal accident involved a pilot flying an unprotected aircraft into known icing conditions, leading to structural ice accumulation and subsequent loss of control.
  • A critical contributing factor to the accident was the pilot's impairment from carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning due to a cracked heat exchanger, which likely affected his judgment and ability to manage the icing encounter.
  • The incident underscores the combined dangers of airframe icing and CO poisoning, emphasizing the need for vigilant pilot decision-making, adherence to weather warnings, and thorough aircraft maintenance, particularly for exhaust and heating systems.
See a mistake? Contact us.

Airframe icing can be found year-round, depending on geography and altitude. In North America, we’re heading into the season when pilots of personal airplanes, which generally don’t fly high enough to worry about ice most of the year, need to factor it into their planning and execution. Even if you’re flying something with a form of ice protection more capable than a warm pitot tube.

One of the things about in-flight airframe icing is it’s relatively unpredictable: A single ice encounter that doesn’t present an operational hazard—a glazed windshield, for example—in no way implies the next one will be as benign.

Ready to Sell Your Aircraft?

List your airplane on AircraftForSale.com and reach qualified buyers.

List Your Aircraft
AircraftForSale Logo | FLYING Logo
Pilot in aircraft
Sign-up for newsletters & special offers!

Get the latest stories & special offers delivered directly to your inbox.

SUBSCRIBE