Flightglobal:Flight data recorder information shows the Colgan Air Q400 that crashed in Buffalo Thursday night pitched 31 degrees nose-up after stick shaker and stick pusher systems activated ...Author: John CroftDate: 15 February 2009Read the full article
Author: John Croft
Date: 15 February 2009
Read the full article
Just a reminder to the younger folk from an old pilot who has had the odd scare when in icing conditions.
When in freezing rain, and ice is building fast on screens (and everywhere else), do NOT use autopilot. Handfly and keep all flight-control surfaces moving. Do NOT use inflatable boots too early. Do NOT extend flap. Increase airspeed from normal approach. Run like hell out of the area to somewhere where you were not icing-up badly. Perhaps turn carefully and go back to where you had been. If props are not clearing, vary RPM rapidly...may crack it off as blades flex. Forget what the pax. may think about noise etc. Try pitching nose-up...then nose-down to flex wings. This may help start shedding process. Consider diverting to a much longer runway and land flap-less...possibly a military base with very long strips.
You may be in extreme peril and not yet fully recognising it. Consider at least a PAN call...or a MAYDAY to gain priority. Fight the situation; for should you lose it at even quite high altitude, you have little chance of recovery......I realise that you all probably know all this stuff, but if you have never encountered real freezing heavy rain, you can have no idea of just how fast your aeroplane will turn into an unflyable new shape........