GA small aircraft pilot complains that ATC routed his aircraft into known icing conditions instead o...

Attributes
ACN	161331
Time
Date	199010
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : lhy
State Reference	PA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 8000 msl bound upper : 10000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zny tower : mlb
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 50 flight time total : 600 flight time type : 500
ASRS Report	161331
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : weather other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

My WX briefing indicated clouds with low freezing level for an IFR flight. To avoid known icing, I filed pou-sax-lrp. Clearance was pou-sax-lrp. I ended up with 3/8' rime ice on aircraft. I should have declined the clearance. When I noticed ice buildup starting, I requested and received 10000', but that was still just within clouds. I asked for higher, but declined 12000' because of lack of O2. I called flight watch to get conditions below ceiling, but you would not believe how difficult it was to get information about WX at lrp. Briefer wanted my present position, course, altitude and conditions before he would tell me he had no information for me. Since I knew that the freezing level was rising as I flew so, I continued the flight and eventually broke out. My biggest complaint is that ATC cleared me into WX conditions with known icing just to keep my small aircraft out of north.Y. Metropolitan area (sax). I spent a lot of time getting a WX briefing and doing flight planning to avoid icing. Then they routinely cleared me into icing. I must say that flight watch was worthless, as far as providing quick information.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GA SMA PLT COMPLAINS THAT ATC ROUTED HIS ACFT INTO KNOWN ICING CONDITIONS INSTEAD OF VIA THE FILED FLT PLAN.

Narrative: MY WX BRIEFING INDICATED CLOUDS WITH LOW FREEZING LEVEL FOR AN IFR FLT. TO AVOID KNOWN ICING, I FILED POU-SAX-LRP. CLRNC WAS POU-SAX-LRP. I ENDED UP WITH 3/8' RIME ICE ON ACFT. I SHOULD HAVE DECLINED THE CLRNC. WHEN I NOTICED ICE BUILDUP STARTING, I REQUESTED AND RECEIVED 10000', BUT THAT WAS STILL JUST WITHIN CLOUDS. I ASKED FOR HIGHER, BUT DECLINED 12000' BECAUSE OF LACK OF O2. I CALLED FLT WATCH TO GET CONDITIONS BELOW CEILING, BUT YOU WOULD NOT BELIEVE HOW DIFFICULT IT WAS TO GET INFO ABOUT WX AT LRP. BRIEFER WANTED MY PRESENT POS, COURSE, ALT AND CONDITIONS BEFORE HE WOULD TELL ME HE HAD NO INFO FOR ME. SINCE I KNEW THAT THE FREEZING LEVEL WAS RISING AS I FLEW SO, I CONTINUED THE FLT AND EVENTUALLY BROKE OUT. MY BIGGEST COMPLAINT IS THAT ATC CLRED ME INTO WX CONDITIONS WITH KNOWN ICING JUST TO KEEP MY SMA OUT OF N.Y. METRO AREA (SAX). I SPENT A LOT OF TIME GETTING A WX BRIEFING AND DOING FLT PLANNING TO AVOID ICING. THEN THEY ROUTINELY CLRED ME INTO ICING. I MUST SAY THAT FLT WATCH WAS WORTHLESS, AS FAR AS PROVIDING QUICK INFO.

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.

GA small aircraft pilot complains that ATC routed his aircraft into known icing conditions instead of via the filed flight plan.