Enquirer news services

WASHINGTON - Reinforcing suspicions that icing caused January's crash of Comair Flight 3272, federal officials Wednesday called for changes in procedures for pilots flying planes in icing conditions.

The Comair Embraer EMB-120 left Cincinnati on Jan. 9 and was trying to land in light snow when it nose-dived into a field about 18 miles short of the Detroit Metropolitan Airport, killing all 29 aboard. The turboprop was slowing when it lost lift at about 150 knots and rolled right several times before crashing.

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) stressed that the official cause of the crash has yet to be determined.

However, the board said Wednesday that known icing conditions in the area at the time of the crash, coupled with evidence of the airplane's "degraded aerodynamic performance" and a lack of evidence that its wing de-icing boots had been activated, "strongly suggest that ice had accumulated on the airframe but may not have been seen or recognized as a hazard by the flight crew of Comair Flight 3272."

In reaching its conclusions, the board cited six other incidents during which the flight crews of Embraer 120s had difficulties controlling the planes in icing conditions.

The NTSB recommendations include installing automatic ice-detection systems on all Embraer EMB-120 planes and more crew training to detect and prevent icing.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) proposed last week that ice-detection systems be installed on the commuter planes before winter.

Cincinnati-based Comair has already moved to begin installing ice detectors on all 39 of its Embraer EMB-120 commuter planes even before required by the FAA.

In reviewing the Comair crash and other Embraer 120 icing incidents, the NTSB noted Comair pilots were told not to use the wing de-icing boots until they noticed that a half inch of ice had built up. This was because it was thought premature activation of the inflatable boots, which expand like a balloon to break ice on the leading edge of the wings, could result in new ice forming in the shape of the inflated boot.

The NTSB said Wednesday this phenomenon is too rare to justify delays in activating the boots.

Responding to the report late Wednesday, Comair spokeswoman Meghan Glynn said, "We'll certainly review and support any recommendations by the NTSB and the FAA."

Icing, or ice buildup on the wings, is a particular problem for turboprop aircraft because they fly at slower speeds and lower altitudes than jets. When ice builds up on wings, it can disrupt air flow, robbing an airplane of the lift that keeps it in the air.

COMPLETE CRASH COVERAGE
PROFILES OF VICTIMS

Victims

First Officer
Kenneth Reece
Fort Wright, Ky.

Flight Attendant
Darinda Ogden Nilsen
Lexington, Ky.

PASSENGERS
Adams, Dexter
Cincinnati

Barrow, Gregory
Detroit

Bransford, Roger
Sandy Springs, Ga.

Brice, Arthur
Brookhaven, Miss.

Brownlee, Christine
Helena, Mont.

Brownlee, Scott
Helena, Mont.

Davis, Geoffrey
Detroit.

DeMarco, Maureen
Englewood, Colo.

Douchard, Greg
Wesson, Miss.

Felteau, Leo
Atlanta

Herman, Mark
Novi, Mich.

Jones, Betty Jean
Detroit

Jones, Charles
McComb, Miss.

McClain, Steven
Waterford, Mich.

Muskovitz, Teri
West Bloomfield, Mich.

Passariello, Kim
Lake Havasu, Ariz.

Raymond, Roy
Twin Falls, Id.

Raymond, Vernamarie
Twin Falls, Id.

Rosiak, Jennifer
Fairbanks, Alaska

Rosiak, Nicholas
Fairbanks, Alaska

Sharangpani, Arati
Holland, Mich.

Stearn, Richard
Whitmore Lake, Mich.

Takenami, Keita
Lexington, Ky.

Thomas, Douglas
Detroit.

Wansedel, Charles
Mount Clemens, Mich.

Zagar, Darlene
Danville, Ky.