Weather Conditions Associated with Jet Engine Power-loss and Damage Due to Ingestion of Ice Particles: What We've Learned Through 2009

This paper presents a study of the weather associated with jet engine power-loss and damage due to ingestion of ice particles. The aviation industry has now connected a number of engine power-loss events to the ingestion of ice particles; however work is ongoing to fully understand and recognize the type of weather and clouds that are associated with these events. Engine power-loss events have been linked to flight in high ice water content clouds. A database of 54 engine events has been assembled and these data have been analyzed with an intention to characterize the “ice crystal engine icing” atmospheric environment. The aim of this paper is to present a detailed meteorological analysis of the event database to help guide future flight programs, pilot identification and the development of an engineering standard for engine exposure to high ice water content weather.