ATR72 flight crew experienced airframe anti-ice failure enroute and diverted to their filed alternate in order to avoid icing conditions. A low time Captain and communications issues add complexity to the scenario.
Synopsis
ATR72 flight crew experienced airframe anti-ice failure enroute and diverted to their filed alternate in order to avoid icing conditions. A low time Captain and communications issues add complexity to the scenario.
Narrative
Enroute we had an airframe de-ice fault. The checklist was completed and we advised Dispatch and maintenance of the need to avoid icing conditions. Our destination was reporting overcast skies and 3 degrees. The Captain and I decided to divert and we asked Dispatch to look for alternate destinations. ATC advised our filed alternate; looked best with VFR conditions and 11 degrees. We obtained a PIREP from a military aircraft for negative icing departing our filed alternate. Dispatch suggested another airport with overcast skied and -3 degrees. We informed Dispatch and ATC of our intentions to divert to our filed alternate. 30 miles from the airport Dispatch sent an ACARS expressing concerns of crosswind. We did not understand the concern since the field was VFR. Since Dispatch had a safety concern that we could not address we took the most conservative course of action and declared an emergency with ATC. The flight landed uneventfully in our filed alternate. The event occurred due to a safety concern that could not be addressed due to our proximity. The safest course of action was to declare an emergency and land at since the weather was VFR.
Second reporter narrative
Since I could not go into icing conditions; I asked my Dispatcher to look for other available airports. In his communications with me; he seemed very concerned about the crosswinds. I had to ask him about clouds and temperatures. An additional complication was that my ACARS stopped receiving messages; so I could not print my own weather. His final ACARS transmission to me led me to believe that he had a concern about continuing to our destination with strong winds because of the low time Captain exemption. When I received the message I did not have the time to contact him to address his concern. The winds were 6 KTS under the maximum crosswind component and the field was VFR. Since the Dispatcher had a safety concern that I was unable to address; I took the most conservative action and declared an emergency with ATC. Low time Captain experience did not apply since the weather was above my restricted captain minimums. There may have been some confusion on this issue.
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Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.