Cessna Centurion crashes on approach to Lubbock, TX | Icing Conditions

[danhagan]

Since we're all arm chair QBing this ... any chance that 2 inches of ice interfered with navigation reception on the plane? Am guessing maybe not as comms might go out first? I have NO ice experience and asking for those that do pop boots, use hot plates and do this regularly ...

 

[wsuffa]

Since we're all arm chair QBing this ... any chance that 2 inches of ice interfered with navigation reception on the plane? Am guessing maybe not as comms might go out first? I have NO ice experience and asking for those that do pop boots, use hot plates and do this regularly ...

There's some literature that it can affect a GPS antenna depending on thickness of ice. Not completely out, but enough (like 3-6 dB for reasonable accumulations). VHF (e.g. ILS/VOR) should be less affected depending on the type of antenna. The GPS antenna cover acts as a radome, but the signal is weaker than ground-based navaids. Clearly he was able to communicate, so the COM antennas were working.

 

[Eldorado]

If you think you might have an emergency( plane, medical, otherwise), declare it. Don’t wait till you know you have an emergency. I remember flying along on a cross country, another general aviation pilot declared an low fuel emergency out in the middle of nowhere. He was below radar contact, but was trying to make closest airport(Santa Rosa, NM). I was 30 miles away, but diverted to be sure he made it, he did, and I doubt if there was any follow up by FAA, but if he hadn’t, someone would of been there(me). I also was able to talk to him when he got below center’s communication. Both he and center was grateful, but I admired the guy for speaking up, many don’t.

 

[GRG55]

Since we're all arm chair QBing this ... any chance that 2 inches of ice interfered with navigation reception on the plane? Am guessing maybe not as comms might go out first? I have NO ice experience and asking for those that do pop boots, use hot plates and do this regularly ...

I've never noticed any interference...but:

1. I've never had anywhere near that much ice on my plane
2. I've never made an approach where the freezing level was that low to the ground, so can't really say how that might influence the ILS - I leave a healthy margin above minimums since I don't do this for a living.

 

[jpskies]

TWR: “Centurion 9622T, turn right heading 270“ was not helpful for the accident pilot (especially after he got the landing clearance already) and very confusing on top of that since heading 270 would have required a left turn.

Obviously the tower controller intended to take him out of the approach sequence to accommodate for the much faster airliner behind.

Not. The flight track shows ATC tried to help him out by issuing right-turn while he was already on the crash sequence. It's too late.