← All explained questions · Supplemental · I — Preflight Preparation
If you encounter STRUCTURAL ICING in flight, the immediate action should be to
Choices
continue at the same altitude — the ice will melt eventually.
Continuing in ice escalates the emergency.
✓ EXIT the icing conditions.correct
climb above the cloud tops, descend below the freezing level, or turn 180°. VFR aircraft are typically not certified for known-icing operations and even thin ice can dramatically increase stall speed and drag. Structural icing on a non-FIKI (Flight Into Known Icing) airplane is a true emergency. Get out of icing as fast as possible — climb (often reaches warmer air or thinner moisture), descend (warmer air), or 180° turn (back to known-clear conditions). Even 1/4 inch of ice on the leading edge can increase stall speed by 25-50% and reduce climb rate by 50%.
increase airspeed to break ice off.
Speed increase doesn't shed ice.
ignore the ice.
Ignoring ice is fatal.
Why
climb above the cloud tops, descend below the freezing level, or turn 180°. VFR aircraft are typically not certified for known-icing operations and even thin ice can dramatically increase stall speed and drag. Structural icing on a non-FIKI (Flight Into Known Icing) airplane is a true emergency. Get out of icing as fast as possible — climb (often reaches warmer air or thinner moisture), descend (warmer air), or 180° turn (back to known-clear conditions). Even 1/4 inch of ice on the leading edge can increase stall speed by 25-50% and reduce climb rate by 50%.
FAA source: FAA-H-8083-3C, Airplane Flying Handbook, emergency operations / icing encounter; AC 91-74browse the reference library →
Original study question written for this course — representative of FAA knowledge-test topics, not an actual current FAA exam question.