Moderate to severe icing... any good stories you care to share?

I picked up severe ice in my Sonic last weekend. Over 1/2 inch thick on all surfaces. Completely unforecast.

But it was parked.

In my driveway.

Took about 20 minutes to scrape it all off. Damn I hate winter.
 
MAKG1 said:
Kim Jong Un?
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Lindberg said:
Sum Ting Wong?
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Kim Long Dong

Acrodustertoo said:
Happened yesterday morning. Riding the old XR650 to work and my sun glasses started to glaze over, thought I was going to die until my training kicked in and ran my checklists. Lowered my glasses a bit so I could see over them and Shazam! Vision and performance resumed normal operations. Ludicrous speed the rest of the way!
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XR650 and ludicrous speed? Bwahahahahahaha........
 
I've got a picture of severe icing in a Sonic.

DRI580_NERDS_LemonberrySlush_wLogo_webready.jpg


This one is called the Game Changer.
 
azure said:
I picked up severe ice in my Sonic last weekend. Over 1/2 inch thick on all surfaces. Completely unforecast.

But it was parked.

In my driveway.

Took about 20 minutes to scrape it all off. Damn I hate winter.
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You're living in the wrong state to be hating winter.
 
So before I renewed my license - I'm thinking 1998 or so - I was in a friend's relatives airplane. A Skyhawk. We were motoring along from Eastern CT up toward the Canadian border to see a friend that was gonna meet us at Newport State hard on the border. It's me in the left seat, the aircraft owner in the right - who is not IFR rated - and my friend, the airline pilot in the back.

We're doing just fine VFR - forecast was iffy ceiling wise, but TAF was a 5000' deck lowering to 2000 during the day - but we were gonna just motor up the CT river Valley at 3500 - and if we needed 3000 or 2500 on the way back it seemed reasonable. I had checked the Skew-T and it was warmer aloft - temps ground level in the south were 34-5F and up north 30 or so. It was Feb, and not much change called for during the day.

We're about 35nm north of Lebanon NH when it starts to rain. We're at 3500. Clear as a bell. Can see 50 miles. So its a light rain. I glance at the temp and it's 30. We discuss it real quick - and say let's give it a couple min in case its just a passing shower. Nope - its not. So we turn around - and I descend to 3000. It's under 30 - maybe 29, maybe 28. Yup - its an inversion - I climb to 4000 and the rudder is scraping the tops of the clouds but we now at 32. It's still raining - and vis has gone down to the south. So it's raining harder there - rain usually brings down colder air with it - and yes - the temp is now edging below 32 and I'm seeing the OAT and a couple of spots getting a little white on it. I'd turned on the pitot heater - so I still had good airspeed indication.

We called ATC - notified them of the diversion [we were VFR] and asked for a pop-up IFR approach to LEB but given the weather situation we were going to do VFR to the FAF and turn - we intended to fly down the CT River Valley the whole way turn in over the city and fly the course reversal - VFR if we had to. I did not want to declare an emergency because it was not one yet. I told them about the priority needed and that I'd declare if it got any sportier.

We had the presidential range to the east and a a 3500' peak and its foothills to the West. LEB was reporting 1C in light rain. About 15 miles out I started a slow descent to 2000 which was I think the GS intercept altitude iirc. There were lots of fields on either side of the river - so we had someplace to put in down fairly safely if we needed to. Once we got below 3500 we started icing up in earnest. Easily moderate icing. I could feel the airplane getting heavier and after about 5 min all forward visibility was gone - except for a 4" diameter circle where the defroster was working. barely. The entire windscreen was covered in rime. I looked up and the struts had ice, as did the forward edge of the wings - I was glad a) it was 180hp Skyhawk and b) I could not see the top of the wings.

When we were at 2000 I was essentially IFR with almost no forward visibility - and told ATC that I wanted the approach now - ILS 18 - I was 2000 and give me gentle turns east. I flew the ILS outbound to FRYYS and then they turned me back in on course - all of it completely blind except for the hole - the rain stopped just about the time they turned up back inbound - I recall glancing at the OAT and at 2000 it was 28F. We were coated pretty good. I kept the speed up - as much as anyone can keep the speed up in a Skyhawk. Winds were 120 at 7 or 8 - wasn't a factor - and I still had that 4" circle that was rapidly closing in - the ice was growing horizontally very slowly prob from the wind pressure.

There was about 1.5" of rime on the strut and leading edge of the wing I could see -But we just tracked the ILS straight in - my friend in the back called minimums - thankfully I was crabbing a little bit so I had a little forward viz sideways. Once I was over the runway I just eased it down and at the moment of touchdown all the ice slid off the airframe - I stopped normally - and we taxied in- grabbed some free maple syrup and refueled and waited for the rain to move off completely.

As is normal - the sun came out on the way home - and laughed at the sphincter tightening flight. Taxiing in to the LEB FBO - there was not a granule of ice on the airplane. I can only imagine reading that accident report - the non-current pilot was seated in the left seat, with the aircraft owner and non-IFR current pilot acting as PIC in the right seat. A current and qualified ATP with 13400 hours was seated in the rear. . .
 
Bill Jennings said:
Last sportbike I had would do 90........in 1st gear. I've slowed down since then. (The older I get, the faster I was)
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I geared it down so i can go play around in the OHV park we have just outside of town. Lots of hills to climb and it is nice to be able to climb them in second gear.

Never felt the need to have a street bike. I used to ride with my dad years ago, I would ride my mothers 1200 sportster. I much rather play in the dirt, climb some hills and explore the trails. I am getting old so no jumping crap and riding like a lunatic. The XR is perfect for me. Love that bike!
 
I have a non-icing story, but it still felt like I took one out of the luck bag and put it in the experience bag, so hopefully it's worth sharing.

It was VFR between my points of origin and destination, and forecast to remain that way. Overcast 3000 and OAT around freezing the whole way. No precip was forecast. According to the skew-t, the atmosphere was stable due to an inversion. Planned a direct route that I've flown several times before that takes you through a valley with lots of forest and little civilization. I start creeping down towards 2500 for cloud clearance, while the terrain starts creeping up at me, and I start seeing water droplets on the windshield. Thankfully, the water did not freeze and instead evaporated. This happened a few more times over the next few minutes, at which point I decided to seek lower terrain and more options. In hindsight, I should have planned around the valley, or scrubbed the flight due to lack of margin.
 
Cpt_Kirk said:
I haven't picked up ice in an airplane that wasn't equipped to handle it... so, no. No good stories.
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It is very possible to get scared in a plane equipped to handle ice.

Yeah, plenty of icing stories. Icing in uncontrolled airspace in Canada at night in the Aztec is probably the best one. But that thing handled ice great.
 
there NO good story's about moderate or sever ice on aircraft.
 
I've never been in anything worse than light icing, and probably never as much as 1/8 inch.
 
GeorgeC said:
I have a non-icing story, but it still felt like I took one out of the luck bag and put it in the experience bag, so hopefully it's worth sharing.

It was VFR between my points of origin and destination, and forecast to remain that way. Overcast 3000 and OAT around freezing the whole way. No precip was forecast. According to the skew-t, the atmosphere was stable due to an inversion. Planned a direct route that I've flown several times before that takes you through a valley with lots of forest and little civilization. I start creeping down towards 2500 for cloud clearance, while the terrain starts creeping up at me, and I start seeing water droplets on the windshield. Thankfully, the water did not freeze and instead evaporated. This happened a few more times over the next few minutes, at which point I decided to seek lower terrain and more options. In hindsight, I should have planned around the valley, or scrubbed the flight due to lack of margin.
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Thanks for the response @GeorgeC ... I figured after all the "Peanut Gallery Dumbasses" here drop by to take a crap or two, maybe eventually somebody who's actually normal will share their experiences. We'll see... ;)
 
azblackbird said:
Thanks for the response @GeorgeC ... I figured after all the "Peanut Gallery Dumbasses" here drop by to take a crap or two, maybe eventually somebody who's actually normal will share their experiences. We'll see... ;)
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Hey man, phone's ringing. It's the Pot....calling you black.
 
Ted DuPuis said:
It is very possible to get scared in a plane equipped to handle ice.

Yeah, plenty of icing stories. Icing in uncontrolled airspace in Canada at night in the Aztec is probably the best one. But that thing handled ice great.
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I wondered if you were going to speak. Every Aztec driver I've EVER met has a "that thing carried more freaking ice than I thought an airplane should have" story. No idea why, but they ALL have one. Haha.
 
I got ice. It was May and I was flying from Nebraska to Minneapolis in my Husky. The clouds were reported bases at 9000' MSL to much higher. The weather briefer said it wasn't thunderstorms, just rain. I filed for 11,000' since I WANTED to fly in IMC. It was 70F degrees and VFR on the surface (at 500'), so that was putting it in the 30F, but what did I know. No icing airmet. So I fly along and enter a cloud, come out of the cloud and there is a BIG cloud in front of me that goes way up. Very dark looking and I am headed right for it. Bravely I go in. It gets dark. It starts raining. Im concentrating on the instruments, nothing to see outside anyway. I notice I lose altitude. I trim for up. I look out and see solid ice covering windshield. I look at my wings and struts, iced as well with about 3/8" solid ice that was white and ragged surface, not smooth. Hmmm, I remember. Get ice. Tell ATC. "This is 63CT, I just picked up a load of ice" I notice that I have lost 10 knots airspeed, other than that plane is flying normally. Im not too worried, I have 8000' of warmer VFR under me, but still. What if there is hail?

So this other guy comes on the freq and wants to know about the temperature (35F) and the ice. What kind of ice is it? I didn't know if it was clear or rime, so I said I didnt know, but told him it had come on all at once, was white and solid, but ragged not smooth. (only clear ice Id ever seen was smooth, and only rime Id ever seen was like frost. This was neither). Guy said he would put down that is was "mixed". Apparantly thats what you put when you don't know?

The freq had gone silent, except for me, and ATC was transferring them to another freq, but I think most stuck around to listen to the show. Husky at 11k, IMC, got ice, whats going to happen next???
 
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azblackbird said:
Thanks for the response @GeorgeC ... I figured after all the "Peanut Gallery Dumbasses" here drop by to take a crap or two, maybe eventually somebody who's actually normal will share their experiences. We'll see... ;)
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Then why do you continue to post here if you hate it so much?

I already shared my icing story. Search for it if you're really interested in reading about it.
 
denverpilot said:
I wondered if you were going to speak. Every Aztec driver I've EVER met has a "that thing carried more freaking ice than I thought an airplane should have" story. No idea why, but they ALL have one. Haha.
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If they only have one they didn't fly it for very long. I've got several. ;)
 
azblackbird said:
@Fearless Tower , you don't strike me as the "dumbass" type, there's a few of your posts that I've notated as "hmmm.... better put this in the 'ole memory bank"

Of course if you care to wear that shoe, then who am I to stop you. ;)
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I'm no saint and most definitely have my cantankerous side, but here's the thing: you seem to be snipping at even some of POAs most inoffensive members.

It IS possible for most of us to chill and get along.
 
Fearless Tower said:
I'm no saint and most definitely have my cantankerous side, but here's the thing: you seem to be snipping at even some of POAs most inoffensive members.

It IS possible for most of us to chill and get along.
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azblackbird = troll and/or sock
 
Fearless Tower said:
I'm no saint and most definitely have my cantankerous side, but here's the thing: you seem to be snipping at even some of POAs most inoffensive members. It IS possible for most of us to chill and get along.
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Hey, when you have a bunch of clowns who are so willing to perform for free, I'll oblige them. As I state previously, there are a few of the clowns here who are actually worth listening to, that is if you care to wade through all their BS. Others I've noticed have nothing whatsoever to offer. :yesnod:
 
azblackbird said:
Hey, when you have a bunch of clowns who are so willing to perform for free, I'll oblige them. As I state previously, there are a few of the clowns here who are actually worth listening to, that is if you care to wade through all their BS. Others I've noticed have nothing whatsoever to offer. :yesnod:
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If POA was a live audience you would get booed off stage and empty beer cans thrown at you.
 
dell30rb said:
If POA was a live audience you would get booed off stage and empty beer cans thrown at you.
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LMAO... Uhhhhh, you do know that you just basically described what a "Peanut Gallery" is. :rofl:

A peanut gallery was, in the days of vaudeville, a nickname for the cheapest (and ostensibly rowdiest) seats in the theater, the occupants of which were often known to heckle. The least expensive snack served at the theatre would often be peanuts, which the patrons would sometimes throw at the performers on stage to convey their disapproval. The phrases "no comments from the peanut gallery" or "quiet in the peanut gallery" are extensions of the name.
 
azblackbird said:
LMAO... Uhhhhh, you do know that you just basically described what a "Peanut Gallery" is. :rofl:

A peanut gallery was, in the days of vaudeville, a nickname for the cheapest (and ostensibly rowdiest) seats in the theater, the occupants of which were often known to heckle. The least expensive snack served at the theatre would often be peanuts, which the patrons would sometimes throw at the performers on stage to convey their disapproval. The phrases "no comments from the peanut gallery" or "quiet in the peanut gallery" are extensions of the name.
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Oh my lord! It is Henning!
 
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