Altitude deviation.

Attributes
ACN	148351
Time
Date	199006
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : sea
State Reference	WA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 5000 msl bound upper : 5500
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : sea tracon : atl
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other cruise other descent other
Route In Use	arrival other enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 50 flight time total : 225 flight time type : 100
ASRS Report	148351
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude altitude deviation : overshoot inflight encounter : weather non adherence : clearance other anomaly other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	faa : investigated faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation other

Narrative:

Preflight WX forecast light rime ice. Air carrier reported light rime also. We were westbound on V298 to bfi at 9000' MSL in VMC. ZSE or sea approach cleared us to 8000'. We were in IMC at this time and picking up very little light rime. Cleared to 7500' began to pick up light to moderate mixed ice. Asked controller for lower altitude and got 7000'. Informed approach of our ice situation and got vectors to a lower sector and cleared to 5500'. At 5500' aircraft would not hold altitude (full power 80 mph 200-300 FPM descent rate). At this time we got below controller's MVA. About this time we were cleared further down to 3000' and ice began to melt off. We entered FMC at about 3800'. Upon arrival at bfi, tower asked us to call approach by phone when we got on the ground. Approach had a form to fill out for FSDO because of the descend below MVA and needed my name and address. In retrospect, we should have stayed in VMC on top until we could be in a sector where the MVA was below freezing level. We need somehow to be more assertive with ATC and less intimidated about asking for and receiving what you want for assistance. It seems that they are unaware of the hazards to light aircraft in mountainous terrain at MEA. It is almost as if they care about nothing more than directing traffic, which is probably all they are capable of, considering the # of aircraft they are responsible for.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ALT DEVIATION.

Narrative: PREFLT WX FORECAST LIGHT RIME ICE. ACR RPTED LIGHT RIME ALSO. WE WERE WBND ON V298 TO BFI AT 9000' MSL IN VMC. ZSE OR SEA APCH CLRED US TO 8000'. WE WERE IN IMC AT THIS TIME AND PICKING UP VERY LITTLE LIGHT RIME. CLRED TO 7500' BEGAN TO PICK UP LIGHT TO MODERATE MIXED ICE. ASKED CTLR FOR LOWER ALT AND GOT 7000'. INFORMED APCH OF OUR ICE SITUATION AND GOT VECTORS TO A LOWER SECTOR AND CLRED TO 5500'. AT 5500' ACFT WOULD NOT HOLD ALT (FULL PWR 80 MPH 200-300 FPM DSNT RATE). AT THIS TIME WE GOT BELOW CTLR'S MVA. ABOUT THIS TIME WE WERE CLRED FURTHER DOWN TO 3000' AND ICE BEGAN TO MELT OFF. WE ENTERED FMC AT ABOUT 3800'. UPON ARR AT BFI, TWR ASKED US TO CALL APCH BY PHONE WHEN WE GOT ON THE GND. APCH HAD A FORM TO FILL OUT FOR FSDO BECAUSE OF THE DSND BELOW MVA AND NEEDED MY NAME AND ADDRESS. IN RETROSPECT, WE SHOULD HAVE STAYED IN VMC ON TOP UNTIL WE COULD BE IN A SECTOR WHERE THE MVA WAS BELOW FREEZING LEVEL. WE NEED SOMEHOW TO BE MORE ASSERTIVE WITH ATC AND LESS INTIMIDATED ABOUT ASKING FOR AND RECEIVING WHAT YOU WANT FOR ASSISTANCE. IT SEEMS THAT THEY ARE UNAWARE OF THE HAZARDS TO LIGHT ACFT IN MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN AT MEA. IT IS ALMOST AS IF THEY CARE ABOUT NOTHING MORE THAN DIRECTING TFC, WHICH IS PROBABLY ALL THEY ARE CAPABLE OF, CONSIDERING THE # OF ACFT THEY ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.