pilot125
Spiderman, Spiderman.....
- Joined
- Mar 28, 2004
- Posts
- 39
Can't some of these Caravan crashes due to airframe icing be labeled "unavoidable" events, where it's not necesarily the pilot's fault, and at the same time, not a problem with the design of the airplane----just very bad luck (which does happen in aviation from time to time). There is such a thing.
Example----Experienced caravan pilot with 10,000+ hours and vast knowledge of airframe icing takes off from airport. Climbing through 2000', he's picking up ice. As he continues his climb through 3000', same thing. Keeps climbing like we all would, trying to get in between layer, like we all would. Through 4000', 5000', and 6000', still not out of the ice. Keeps climbing through 7, 8, 9, and 10,000', and still no relief. Maybe he tries to go higher, maybe he can't anymore. In any case he has no other choice but to go back down, searching for layers..........at this point, on his way down, and passing through 3000', with no relief in sight, the airplane has loads of ice and will not fly anymore. THE END.
Now, I know this is not the best example, but it is just off the top of my head, and I'm sure you can pick out different points in this scenario and say he could have done this or he could have done that...... but the point I'm trying to make is that, in general, this guy tried doing the right thing and what you're trained to do. He tried finding layers, climbed as high as he could initially, then started back down trying to find layers again. He never once stayed at an altitude where the icing was building up on his airframe.
Now I haven't flown a light twin in a while, but when I was, that's how we tackled icing up here in the midwest. The system worked, and it worked well. Still, it wasn't always a sure thing. One airplane would fly through an area of severe icing, and 5 minutes later another airplane would fly through that same area and not pick up any ice at all. Thats how UNPREDICTABLE ice is, as we all know.
We all have our own horror stories or know somebody who has been iced up, started to get scared, and then finding an OUT, either landing at the nearest airport or finding a warm layer or something that helped us get out of the situation. And 99.9% of the time, we come across an OUT! But what would have happened if we didn't find that OUT.............if you never found that layer, if your airplane could not maitain altitude and there was no suitable airport within 50+ miles............etc..........THAT'S CALLED BAD LUCK!
BAD LUCK does happen, and maybe it had happened with some of those caravan crashes, and maybe not. But all's I'm saying is that icing can sneak up on you and bite you in the you-know-what. I've never flown a caravan, so maybe I don't know what I'm talking about, but I do know that there are rare instances where even the best of us are unable to escape. Stuff like that happens, as rare as it is.
I do believe that inexperience has played a big part in alot of these caravan crashes, but not ALL of them. Don't they have fairly high insurance minimums on these airplanes? It's not like 500 hr. pilots are flying these caravans around all over the country......right????????
Example----Experienced caravan pilot with 10,000+ hours and vast knowledge of airframe icing takes off from airport. Climbing through 2000', he's picking up ice. As he continues his climb through 3000', same thing. Keeps climbing like we all would, trying to get in between layer, like we all would. Through 4000', 5000', and 6000', still not out of the ice. Keeps climbing through 7, 8, 9, and 10,000', and still no relief. Maybe he tries to go higher, maybe he can't anymore. In any case he has no other choice but to go back down, searching for layers..........at this point, on his way down, and passing through 3000', with no relief in sight, the airplane has loads of ice and will not fly anymore. THE END.
Now, I know this is not the best example, but it is just off the top of my head, and I'm sure you can pick out different points in this scenario and say he could have done this or he could have done that...... but the point I'm trying to make is that, in general, this guy tried doing the right thing and what you're trained to do. He tried finding layers, climbed as high as he could initially, then started back down trying to find layers again. He never once stayed at an altitude where the icing was building up on his airframe.
Now I haven't flown a light twin in a while, but when I was, that's how we tackled icing up here in the midwest. The system worked, and it worked well. Still, it wasn't always a sure thing. One airplane would fly through an area of severe icing, and 5 minutes later another airplane would fly through that same area and not pick up any ice at all. Thats how UNPREDICTABLE ice is, as we all know.
We all have our own horror stories or know somebody who has been iced up, started to get scared, and then finding an OUT, either landing at the nearest airport or finding a warm layer or something that helped us get out of the situation. And 99.9% of the time, we come across an OUT! But what would have happened if we didn't find that OUT.............if you never found that layer, if your airplane could not maitain altitude and there was no suitable airport within 50+ miles............etc..........THAT'S CALLED BAD LUCK!
BAD LUCK does happen, and maybe it had happened with some of those caravan crashes, and maybe not. But all's I'm saying is that icing can sneak up on you and bite you in the you-know-what. I've never flown a caravan, so maybe I don't know what I'm talking about, but I do know that there are rare instances where even the best of us are unable to escape. Stuff like that happens, as rare as it is.
I do believe that inexperience has played a big part in alot of these caravan crashes, but not ALL of them. Don't they have fairly high insurance minimums on these airplanes? It's not like 500 hr. pilots are flying these caravans around all over the country......right????????
