When winter arrives, as it soon will in the Northern Hemisphere and where it can linger, aviators need to become hyper alert for conditions that invite ice formation aloft. Given the right combination of temperature, moisture content, airfoil design and crew action, the result can be sudden, unexpected, confusing and potentially catastrophic. Two flights with drastically different endings underscore the concern. On Dec. 20, 2011, at about 1005 EST, a Socata TBM 700, N731CA, collided with terrain following an inflight loss of control near Morristown, New Jersey. Visual conditions prevailed. The flight had departed from Teterboro, New Jersey (KTEB) 15 min. earlier en route to Atlanta. The private pilot and four passengers were killed and the airplane destroyed. The 45-year-old pilot and his business colleague, a non-pilot, were in the cockpit. The pilot's wife, two children and a family pet were in the back. The pilot held a private pilot certificate rated for SEL and also an instrument rating. Approximately five months earlier, he had reported 1,400 total hours of experience when he took his second-class medical. His personal logbooks were not located after the accident.
展开▼
