208 icing AD

[Geronimo4497]

I'm curious, are the cargo operators freaking out about the new 'no flight in moderate+ icing conditions' AD that just came out? Is anyone trying to fight it? Any real bad experiences with ice in the 'van on this board? Is it just mostly a pilot error thing or..........? Thanks.

 

[JediNein]

I think they are, we just lost one factory guy and one top Caravan sales guy: http://www.faa.gov/data_statistics/accident_incident/preliminary_data/media/B_0330_N.txt

Rick's funeral is today, which of course, is a sunny day.

So is ice in a 'van better than scud running?

Fly SAFE!
Jedi Nein

 

[jetstream61]

Do you work for Cessna? Can you shed any insight as to what's going on with the Caravan?

 

[PC12Cowboy]

WOW..it was brand new?was this a delivery flight? Sorry for your loss Jedi and best wishes to the families

 

[JediNein]

Anything out there is pure speculation. Those that are in the know are the accident investigators.

Still my question remains, is scud running better than flying in ice?

Fly SAFE!
Jedi Nein
not a factory rep for anyone

 

[mar]

Honestly, it depends.

Anything out there is pure speculation. Those that are in the know are the accident investigators.

Still my question remains, is scud running better than flying in ice?

Fly SAFE!
Jedi Nein
not a factory rep for anyone

I'll answer your question honestly. I flew the 'van in southwest Alaska. I always tried to do things legally but sometimes you just gotta roll up your sleeves.

Scud running can be done safely if you start out with a plan.

The problem is when people get in over their heads and paint themselves into a corner....or a boxed canyon, if you get my drift.

And I'm not pointing fingers, I know how quickly a good plan can go south.

As for the 'van in ice, my advice is to avoid it at all costs.

 

[BushwickBill]

Anything out there is pure speculation. Those that are in the know are the accident investigators.

Still my question remains, is scud running better than flying in ice?

Fly SAFE!
Jedi Nein
not a factory rep for anyone

Thank Goodness is only a real problem from December to late March out here but we would elect to go above the weather on the way to TRK. We would wait for a break in the weather on the coast and get above it. Then we would keep our fingers crossed all the way to TRK. Its amazing what you can safely do in an airplane that can go down 3000 fpm at 100 knots. The only time we couldn't safely get to TRK VFR we shot the approach GPS-A and the ice wasn't too bad. A can of Ice-X works wonders. If I flew a 208 135 cargo I would buy my own. Even if it meant more top ramen. The stuff is amazing.

Long answer to your question. I guess I could have simply said: stay above it VFR but please don't scud run. It's very tempting in the 208 but it shouldn't be done. If you have to go IMC do it as a last resort but do so very well informed of whats going on with icing conditions. Keep the speed up! What to do in icing was very well covered in another thread on FI. My favorite tid bit of info was a block altitude and punch the boots after gaining a bunch of speed.

Before you frieght dogs rip me a new one. Yeah I'm talking about part 91 with a flexable boss who didn't want to die. Yes it was a luxury. I don't envy the frieght dog that has to get in ice on a regular basis in this aircraft.

RIP to the two who slammed into the barren rocks. Every time something like that happens I don't think "gee what did those guys do wrong." I just think "thank god it wasn't me this time."

 

[AerroMatt]

RIP to the two who slammed into the barren rocks. Every time something like that happens I don't think "gee what did those guys do wrong." I just think "thank god it wasn't me this time."

I for one often say "There but for the grace of God go I." A friend of mine flew C208 for 2 years for Corporate Air on a run FSD-ABR before this new AD came out. He told me that if there were any reports of Moderate Ice, they were encouraged to wait it out because FedEx would rather refund customers money than pay for yet another accident.

I never flew the Van in ice, but i liked flying it. However, it sounds as if it was about time for the FAA to make this into an AD. Too bad it took someone dying before they issued it.

 

[Str82theNumbers]

I flew that chuck 'o $hit for 600 hrs. in the NE/east coast/great lakes.

It's crappy, but not as bad as they say.

I heard Cessna is developing a new wing for it, and that its possibly related to icing certification. Anybody else hear that??