What makes ice on airplane wings so dangerous?
The cause of the Florida crash remains under investigation, but ice buildup is a known hazard that can affect lift, controls and engine performance.
Video shows a private jet crashing in Palm Beach County, Florida, killing nine people. Investigators are reviewing flight data and weather conditions, including thunderstorms, lightning and reported icing, to determine the cause
Ice on the wings of airplanes can have dangerous consequences, contributing to deadly crashes and other aviation hazards.
On Sunday, Nov. 1, a Learjet carrying nine people crashed in Palm Beach County, Florida, killing everyone onboard. While the cause of the crash is currently under investigation, the crew reported icing in addition to moderate turbulence prior to the rapid descent.
In October, six people also died in a plane crash in Wisconsin after the pilot reported ice accumulating on the aircraft's wings. Air traffic control cleared the aircraft to descend following the ice report. However, the plane then entered an increasingly rapid descending right turn before communication and tracking were lost.
File photo: Icicles hang from the wing and engine of an aircraft while another jet prepares to leave at Columbus International Airport Dec. 23, 2004 in Columbus, Ohio. (Photo by Michael Williams/Getty Images)
Even a thin layer of ice can severely impact an aircraft's operations. When ice accumulates, it changes the shape of the plane's wings and disrupts the airflow that keeps it in the sky. Ice reduces lift, the force that keeps the plane aloft, while increasing drag, the resistance the plane must overcome to move forward. This can require the plane to fly faster to generate enough lift.
Ice can also disrupt sensors, flight controls and engine performance. Radio communications may be lost, and flight instruments may give false indications, according to the Federal Aviation Administration.
How ice forms on planes and how crews prevent it
Ice forms on an aircraft in flight when its surface collides with water droplets that have remained liquid despite being below the freezing point, referred to as supercooled water, according to NASA. When these supercooled droplets strike the surface of a plane, the impact causes them to instantly freeze. This means icing can develop thousands of feet above an airport, even when ground temperatures are above 32 degrees Fahrenheit.
According to the Aviation Weather Guide on icing, the process generally falls into three types: clear, mixed or rime. Clear icing is the greatest threat and occurs when large, supercooled water droplets spread out and freeze as a sheet of ice. Mixed icing happens when both large and small supercooled droplets freeze and mix, resulting in a clear and opaque color. Rime is the most common and occurs when small, supercooled droplets immediately freeze on contact with cold aircraft surfaces.
A jet is deiced in the foreground, while another aircraft is treated in the background at Newark Liberty International Airport, New Jersey, on Jan. 30, 2009. Deicing is necessary anytime there is snow or ice in the vicinity or the risk of ice forming on the wings during or soon after takeoff. This process can delay the departure of flights. If too much time has elapsed before takeoff, the aircraft may have to be deiced again. (AP Photo/David Boe)
Crews can take safety measures to prevent icing both before and during flight. Ground teams typically spray planes with heated deicing fluids to remove frozen buildup, which is sometimes followed by the application of anti-icing fluids to prevent new ice from forming before departure. Crews should also consider carrying a high-intensity flashlight to detect ice accumulation on the plane at night, as well as planning exit strategies in case of icing.
Aircraft should continuously monitor temperatures and stay away from thunderstorms, since ice can quickly accumulate during severe weather. Planes should also exercise caution near mountains, where the most severe icing typically occurs above ridgetops on the windward side and can extend about 5,000 feet above the peaks.
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