Ice buildup on the wings and tail may have been the cause of the crash of flight 3407 near Buffalo, on Thursday Feb 12, 2009.

The Democrat and Chronicle says that “in news briefings, a National Transportation Safety Board official disclosed that Flight 3407 from Newark, N.J., had encountered icing conditions not long before it went down in the town of Clarence about 10:15 p.m. Thursday. Aircraft deicing systems had been activated as well, he reported.

Buildup of ice on airplane wings and stabilizers can change the way air flows around them, slowing the plane and eroding the wings’ ability to lift the plane as it moves forward.”

Read the full story in The Democrat and Chronicle.

Photo by Gloria Kulesa.

You can find excellent background information on aircraft icing at Wikipedia and Civil Aviation Safety Authority of Australia.