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Report 04
We were cleared for takeoff when our left-hand pitot heater failed. Our MEL states we can fly w/o the left-hand pitot heater if we stay clear clouds below +4 sat and/or known icing conditions. I was not sure we could comply with those restrictions, but I decided to go anyway. Enroute we checked weather at our destination and alternates. All had high ceilings (6000'), 15+ nm plus visibility and were well above freezing (55 degrees f). We also received reports of heavy icing in clouds at 11000' MSL. Still, I elected to press on. We talked over the possible implications and possibility of losing the left-hand ASI and altimeter. We discussed the procedures for having the pilot in the right seat assume flying duties if I lost my airspeed and altimeter. We were incredibly stupid. In our descent at 9000' MSL due encountered not only very heavy icing, but moderate to severe turbulence. I almost immediately lost both my ASI and altimeter. The right seat pilot assumed flying duties. His ASI showed a warning flag so was suspect and could not be trusted. Because of the turbulence he needed both hands to control the aircraft. I had to control the throttles, monitor his flight ins from my side, assess the situation and make decisions, and handle the radios. The PF also stated he felt he wasn't turning when he was, and vice versa, obviously he was experiencing incipient vertigo due to the turbulence and loss of ins. Even though we had good gyros the loss of other primary flight ins interrupted our normal scan and confused our normal senses. To further complicate the situation, Center couldn't give us a lower alt. I finally communicated the urgency of the situation and they gave us a lower alt. At that point we couldn't maintain alt because of the turbulence anyway. Once we had a clearance to a lower alt we descended by reference to attitude only. We broke out at 5000' MSL in warmer air and almost immediately got all ins back. We made a normal approach and landing. There are many lessons to be learned here. My motivation for continuing the flight with a known deficiency was the result of pressure of a very heavy schedule with upper management aboard, and my desire not to inconvenience them. I also now realize I was getting complacent and felt I could do anything (arrogant). I am appalled by my lack of professionalism. The worst part is I know better, but I still succumbed to outside pressures. Never again. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: reporter reiterated self-displeasure for his actions. He said, "I did what the company pays me not to do." The reporter also said how shocked he was at the great speed with which the situation got out of control. One factor not initially related by the reporter is that at the time of the incident, the flight crew had been on duty 14 hours, and that fatigue probably affected judgment. The reporter is also the chief pilot for his company. After this incident, he called all company pilots to a meeting to discuss this incident, its causes and effects. He felt that his flight department could benefit from a discussion of the human factors issues.
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本文链接地址:Developing Advanced Crew Resource Management (ACRM) Training: A Training Manual(117)