Random Failure

Wolfar100 · Post by **Wolfar100** » Mon Jan 01, 2007 12:41 pm

I already sent an email out about fixing this. I figured since this is also a bugs and problem form I should post it here as well.

I was flying in my dash 8 to San Francisco. I had one of the random failures,

Both altimeters started going backwards the digital and the analog. Both should not do the same thing as one is the backup for the other.

Next my speed indicator stated that I was over speeding when the GPS said I was doing 74 knots. So I figured since the nose kept dropping that the GPS was correct. Tried to speed up to at least maintain level flight and got an over stress.

These while they are all probable I COULD not overstress the aircraft going 74 knots.

Please erase this flight and restore my airline reputation to 93%. Oh freak it recorded it twice.

KPHXKL72Jan 01, 01:5835566nmDonald Guth Jr.-1.695.000v$

KPHXKL72Jan 01, 01:5735566nmDonald Guth Jr.-1.695.000v$

CAPFlyer · Post by **CAPFlyer** » Mon Jan 01, 2007 3:34 pm

Instrument failures are not part of FlyNET. This failure was generated by either Flight Simulator or your own error. Did you have your anti-icing systems on? The problems you describe are exactly what would be seen as ice built up on the aircraft and covered all of your instrument ports and the wings and engines became covered in ice and thus prevented the engines from providing full power and the wings from generating sufficient lift. When your static ports are icing over, they will both show the same reduction in altitude as the ports are blocked. The airspeed indicator will change to zero as the port is iced over.

Wolfar100 · Post by **Wolfar100** » Mon Jan 01, 2007 3:43 pm

CAPFlyer wrote:Instrument failures are not part of FlyNET. This failure was generated by either Flight Simulator or your own error. Did you have your anti-icing systems on? The problems you describe are exactly what would be seen as ice built up on the aircraft and covered all of your instrument ports and the wings and engines became covered in ice and thus prevented the engines from providing full power and the wings from generating sufficient lift. When your static ports are icing over, they will both show the same reduction in altitude as the ports are blocked. The airspeed indicator will change to zero as the port is iced over.

I had ALL sections of De-Ice on. On the Dash 8 you can not miss all the green De-Ice lights lite up. I mean everyone of them! I will remember what your saying though because I have never seen that before. I was flying @ 20k and the max for that plane is about 23k. But if I have all the De-Icers turned on I would think that I am covered safety wise.

Now that I know that if it happens again I can slowly descend and see if the problems clear up.

But can you overstress the aircraft going 80 knots with ice? This brings up even more points, does the De-Icing work on the Dash 8 that I was using?

UKD192 · Post by **UKD192** » Mon Jan 01, 2007 4:31 pm

Both altimeters started going backwards the digital and the analog. Both should not do the same thing as one is the backup for the other.

If you had pitot heat and wing de-ice on, and if both ASI's show they are both going backwards, I think its safe to say its not an instrument failure, and your airspeed is indeed dropping.

Did the client stop an engine on you ? Was the fuel quantity ok ?

BTW having Aircraft Stress Detection on, or Random failures/Crash detection in MSFS is a bit of a waste of time IMHO, especially in this scenario when there are plenty of other things to go wrong with your flight !

Still, it stops the flights getting boring . . . . .

Wolfar100 · Post by **Wolfar100** » Mon Jan 01, 2007 4:55 pm

UKD192 wrote:
Both altimeters started going backwards the digital and the analog. Both should not do the same thing as one is the backup for the other.
If you had pitot heat and wing de-ice on, and if both ASI's show they are both going backwards, I think its safe to say its not an instrument failure, and your airspeed is indeed dropping. Did the client stop an engine on you ? Was the fuel quantity ok ?

BTW having Aircraft Stress Detection on, or Random failures/Crash detection in MSFS is a bit of a waste of time IMHO, especially in this scenario when there are plenty of other things to go wrong with your flight !

Still, it stops the flights getting boring . . . . .

Good points, I might just have to shut down the crash detection and the stress causes damage.

What was happing was that both my altitude indicators started going backwards from 20k. The ATC was yelling at me to maintain my altitude. I watch as they both RAPIDLY went - altitude past -5k. WTH I then was getting an overspeed warning and was seeing over 250 knots on my airspeed indicator. It looked like both engines were still running and why would my analog ASI go past 250 knots and my digital one linked to the GPS shows 74 knots? There is just to many what if things going on here. I should have had another beer!

CAPFlyer · Post by **CAPFlyer** » Mon Jan 01, 2007 5:09 pm

GPS shows groundspeed, not airspeed. You were probably in a steep dive to be recording that.

Wolfar100 · Post by **Wolfar100** » Mon Jan 01, 2007 5:12 pm

CAPFlyer wrote:GPS shows groundspeed, not airspeed. You were probably in a steep dive to be recording that.

Nope was seeing level flight. I was having a pig of a time keeping the nose up!

CAPFlyer · Post by **CAPFlyer** » Mon Jan 01, 2007 5:13 pm

Ummm.... your nose doesn't have to be pointing down to be in a steep dive. Think about it for a sec...

Wolfar100 · Post by **Wolfar100** » Mon Jan 01, 2007 5:27 pm

CAPFlyer wrote:Ummm.... your nose doesn't have to be pointing down to be in a steep dive. Think about it for a sec...

Hmmm, well why was not the ground coming up to meet me then? I saw no visualization of loosing any altitude what so ever. I noticed that I was not moving forward very fast and I would have noticed a tail sinking backwards.

CAPFlyer · Post by **CAPFlyer** » Mon Jan 01, 2007 6:45 pm

The only other possibility is a weather system glitch that put you basically in the middle of a hurricane (massive pressure drop) and extreme headwind. That would explain both of your issues.

Wolfar100 · Post by **Wolfar100** » Mon Jan 01, 2007 7:05 pm

CAPFlyer wrote:The only other possibility is a weather system glitch that put you basically in the middle of a hurricane (massive pressure drop) and extreme headwind. That would explain both of your issues.

OMG You hit the proverbial nail right on the head!

You did have me rolling on the floor with that one!

After reading everyones inputs, I have a tendency to think it was all iced up! But then that would mean that my de-icers were not working in that version of Dash-8 that I fly in FS9.