What phenomenon occurs when an aircraft flies into supercooled water droplets at freezing temperatures?

When an aircraft flies into supercooled water droplets at freezing temperatures, the phenomenon that occurs is icing. Supercooled water droplets remain in a liquid state even when the temperature is below the freezing point. Upon contact with an aircraft's surfaces, these droplets can freeze rapidly, forming ice. This accumulation of ice can affect the aircraft’s performance, aerodynamics, and control, leading to increased drag, potential loss of lift, and other hazardous conditions.

Understanding icing is crucial for pilots and aviation safety, as it can occur during cloud flying or in precipitation in chilly weather, making awareness and preventive measures essential for safe operation. Other phenomena, such as mechanical disturbance, wake turbulence, and wind shear, pertain to different aspects of flight and do not directly involve the freezing of moisture impacting an aircraft in flight in the same way that icing does.