Pilot of small aircraft filed IFR to tcc and enroute began to pick up icing. Had so much ice by time...

Narrative:

I had a flight from abq to tucumcari, NM with a stop in las vegas, NM. I started checking the WX at 0a00, and after checking again at 0b00, I decided to go. The WX in las vegas was reporting 700' overcast and 5 mi visibility with light wind and a good temperature dewpoint spread. FSS had no reports of icing northeast of abq and tops estimated at 10000' MSL. I departed abq IFR and climbed to 10000'. After 25 mins at 10000' I was not on top so I requested and got 13000'. At this point I had not picked up any ice. I was still IMC and continued on to las vegas and landed with just a trace of ice picked up on the approach. I landed, cleaned the aircraft off, got a briefing for the second leg. I filed IFR for tucumcari, which was reporting 1500' and 15 mi, with 4 degree temperature dewpoint spread. I took off on what is normally a 40 min trip. On climb out to 10000' I picked up a track of ice. After 20 mins the ice began to build, but not heavy, probably light. I called center to get a higher altitude but developed communication problems. Shortly after this the ice increased to moderate and the aircraft lost 20 KTS airspeed. With the higher angle of attack the ice started to build on the bottom of the wing and a climb was impossible. At about 25 mi out I reached center and they gave me a lower altitude and cleared me for the approach. At this time the ice began to build fast and I had about 1'. I shot the approach using full power to maintain altitude and airspeed (approximately 20 KTS above stall speed). During the approach another 1/2' of ice accumulated. I landed with full power and had 1 1/2-2' of ice. I had made this exact trip probably 50 times and at least 20 times IFR. I had done this trip same time of yr, day and WX many times. I guess my complacent attitude and very light icing on the first leg were the main reasons for this situation. My only suggestion to avoid this is, any time icing conditions are present, don't go unless you have an aircraft equipped for it. This is what I plan to do from now on.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF SMA FILED IFR TO TCC AND ENROUTE BEGAN TO PICK UP ICING. HAD SO MUCH ICE BY TIME OF APCH TO TCC IT TOOK FULL POWER TO MAINTAIN ALT AND 250 KTS ABOVE STALL. LANDED WITH FULL POWER.

Narrative: I HAD A FLT FROM ABQ TO TUCUMCARI, NM WITH A STOP IN LAS VEGAS, NM. I STARTED CHKING THE WX AT 0A00, AND AFTER CHKING AGAIN AT 0B00, I DECIDED TO GO. THE WX IN LAS VEGAS WAS RPTING 700' OVCST AND 5 MI VISIBILITY WITH LIGHT WIND AND A GOOD TEMP DEWPOINT SPREAD. FSS HAD NO RPTS OF ICING NE OF ABQ AND TOPS ESTIMATED AT 10000' MSL. I DEPARTED ABQ IFR AND CLBED TO 10000'. AFTER 25 MINS AT 10000' I WAS NOT ON TOP SO I REQUESTED AND GOT 13000'. AT THIS POINT I HAD NOT PICKED UP ANY ICE. I WAS STILL IMC AND CONTINUED ON TO LAS VEGAS AND LANDED WITH JUST A TRACE OF ICE PICKED UP ON THE APCH. I LANDED, CLEANED THE ACFT OFF, GOT A BRIEFING FOR THE SECOND LEG. I FILED IFR FOR TUCUMCARI, WHICH WAS RPTING 1500' AND 15 MI, WITH 4 DEG TEMP DEWPOINT SPREAD. I TOOK OFF ON WHAT IS NORMALLY A 40 MIN TRIP. ON CLBOUT TO 10000' I PICKED UP A TRACK OF ICE. AFTER 20 MINS THE ICE BEGAN TO BUILD, BUT NOT HEAVY, PROBABLY LIGHT. I CALLED CENTER TO GET A HIGHER ALT BUT DEVELOPED COM PROBS. SHORTLY AFTER THIS THE ICE INCREASED TO MODERATE AND THE ACFT LOST 20 KTS AIRSPD. WITH THE HIGHER ANGLE OF ATTACK THE ICE STARTED TO BUILD ON THE BOTTOM OF THE WING AND A CLB WAS IMPOSSIBLE. AT ABOUT 25 MI OUT I REACHED CENTER AND THEY GAVE ME A LOWER ALT AND CLRED ME FOR THE APCH. AT THIS TIME THE ICE BEGAN TO BUILD FAST AND I HAD ABOUT 1'. I SHOT THE APCH USING FULL PWR TO MAINTAIN ALT AND AIRSPD (APPROX 20 KTS ABOVE STALL SPD). DURING THE APCH ANOTHER 1/2' OF ICE ACCUMULATED. I LANDED WITH FULL PWR AND HAD 1 1/2-2' OF ICE. I HAD MADE THIS EXACT TRIP PROBABLY 50 TIMES AND AT LEAST 20 TIMES IFR. I HAD DONE THIS TRIP SAME TIME OF YR, DAY AND WX MANY TIMES. I GUESS MY COMPLACENT ATTITUDE AND VERY LIGHT ICING ON THE FIRST LEG WERE THE MAIN REASONS FOR THIS SITUATION. MY ONLY SUGGESTION TO AVOID THIS IS, ANY TIME ICING CONDITIONS ARE PRESENT, DON'T GO UNLESS YOU HAVE AN ACFT EQUIPPED FOR IT. THIS IS WHAT I PLAN TO DO FROM NOW ON.

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.

Attributes
ACN	162572
Time
Date	199011
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : tcc
State Reference	NM
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 10000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zab tower : tcc
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude cruise other landing other
Route In Use	enroute airway : zab
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
ASRS Report	162572
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : weather
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified cockpit
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Pilot of small aircraft filed IFR to tcc and enroute began to pick up icing. Had so much ice by time of approach to tcc it took full power to maintain altitude and 250 KTS above stall. Landed with full power.