C182 instructor reported severe icing resulting in an immediate descent to exit the conditions.

Attributes
ACN	1703392
Time
Date	201911
Local Time Of Day	1201-1800
Place
Locale Reference	ZZZ.Airport
State Reference	US
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Make Model Name	Skylane 182/RG Turbo Skylane/RG
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	Descent
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Function	Instructor Pilot Not Flying
Qualification	Flight Crew Multiengine Flight Crew Instrument Flight Crew Flight Instructor
Experience	Flight Crew Last 90 Days 26 Flight Crew Total 2807 Flight Crew Type 1150
Events
Anomaly	Deviation - Procedural Clearance Deviation - Procedural Published Material / Policy Inflight Event / Encounter Weather / Turbulence

Narrative:

During descent on an IFR flight plan we were cleared to 4;000 feet MSL. We entered the clouds at 4;300 feet MSL. After a couple minutes I noticed light rime ice forming on struts and wheel fairings. I informed ATC of the ice and requested lower knowing freezing level was 3;000 feet MSL. ATC was working 2 other aircraft not in our vicinity so there was a delay getting back to me. In the meantime we entered an area where mixed ice was rapidly accumulating. I again informed ATC; this time specifically stating we were picking up heavier ice and we needed lower now. We were cleared to 2;600 feet MSL. At that altitude I had ground contact looking straight down but we were still in IMC and still rapidly accumulating ice. Our airspeed was 89 kts with full power; we had heavy ice build up on the wings. Windshield was iced over. At that point I made the decision request priority handling and was immediately given instruction 'altitude your discretion.' we descended and broke out at 2;300 feet MSL into VFR conditions approximately 12 miles from ZZZ. We cancelled IFR flight plan and proceeded VFR to ZZZ where we landed safely.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C182 instructor reported severe icing resulting in an immediate descent to exit the conditions.

Narrative: During descent on an IFR flight plan we were cleared to 4;000 feet MSL. We entered the clouds at 4;300 feet MSL. After a couple minutes I noticed light rime ice forming on struts and wheel fairings. I informed ATC of the ice and requested lower knowing freezing level was 3;000 feet MSL. ATC was working 2 other aircraft not in our vicinity so there was a delay getting back to me. In the meantime we entered an area where mixed ice was rapidly accumulating. I again informed ATC; this time specifically stating we were picking up heavier ice and we needed lower now. We were cleared to 2;600 feet MSL. At that altitude I had ground contact looking straight down but we were still in IMC and still rapidly accumulating ice. Our airspeed was 89 kts with full power; we had heavy ice build up on the wings. Windshield was iced over. At that point I made the decision request priority handling and was immediately given instruction 'altitude your discretion.' We descended and broke out at 2;300 feet MSL into VFR conditions approximately 12 miles from ZZZ. We cancelled IFR flight plan and proceeded VFR to ZZZ where we landed safely.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site 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.