Narrative:

I was ferrying an small aircraft from harrisburg, PA, to norma, ok. I departed harrisburg, PA, VFR. It soon was VFR on top of an overcast layer about 3000 ft on top. My first stop was going to be lexington, ky. It soon got dark and the tops of the overcast layer rose to an altitude which wouldn't allow me to maintain VFR. Reports that I received from tweb called for moderate to severe icing from the surface to my altitude which was now 12500 ft MSL. I had to make a decision to turn back or land and risk icing conditions. I had 2 hours of fuel on board and could not remain at my present altitude without oxygen. I made the decision to get clearance to the nearest airport with an ILS. I did not have approach procedures for any airport but my destination that I had planned for an IFR into. My destination was in better conditions than my alternate for which I faced now. Morgantown was VFR and close. I was cleared to 8000 and then 3000 at pilot's discretion to my new alternate. I started a rapid descent where I picked up moderate rime. At 3000 I was still IMC and picking up ice (3000 was min vectoring altitude). I declared an emergency for a lower altitude where I knew I would break out because morgantown was VFR. They gave me 2400 where I broke out and saw the airport. I should not have assumed I could fly to my destination VFR on top without more adequate PIREPS for my en route portion.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ON XCOUNTRY FERRY OF SMA ACFT PF VFR ON TOP REACHED 12500 ON TOP OF ICING CONDITIONS. OBTAINED CLRNC FOR DSCNT DOWN THROUGH, ICED UP WITH RIME, DECLARED EMER FOR DSCNT BELOW MIN ENRTE, BROKE OUT, LANDED MGW.

Narrative: I WAS FERRYING AN SMA FROM HARRISBURG, PA, TO NORMA, OK. I DEPARTED HARRISBURG, PA, VFR. IT SOON WAS VFR ON TOP OF AN OVCST LAYER ABOUT 3000 FT ON TOP. MY FIRST STOP WAS GOING TO BE LEXINGTON, KY. IT SOON GOT DARK AND THE TOPS OF THE OVCST LAYER ROSE TO AN ALT WHICH WOULDN'T ALLOW ME TO MAINTAIN VFR. RPTS THAT I RECEIVED FROM TWEB CALLED FOR MODERATE TO SEVERE ICING FROM THE SURFACE TO MY ALT WHICH WAS NOW 12500 FT MSL. I HAD TO MAKE A DECISION TO TURN BACK OR LAND AND RISK ICING CONDITIONS. I HAD 2 HRS OF FUEL ON BOARD AND COULD NOT REMAIN AT MY PRESENT ALT WITHOUT OXYGEN. I MADE THE DECISION TO GET CLRNC TO THE NEAREST ARPT WITH AN ILS. I DID NOT HAVE APCH PROCS FOR ANY ARPT BUT MY DEST THAT I HAD PLANNED FOR AN IFR INTO. MY DEST WAS IN BETTER CONDITIONS THAN MY ALTERNATE FOR WHICH I FACED NOW. MORGANTOWN WAS VFR AND CLOSE. I WAS CLRED TO 8000 AND THEN 3000 AT PLT'S DISCRETION TO MY NEW ALTERNATE. I STARTED A RAPID DSCNT WHERE I PICKED UP MODERATE RIME. AT 3000 I WAS STILL IMC AND PICKING UP ICE (3000 WAS MIN VECTORING ALT). I DECLARED AN EMER FOR A LOWER ALT WHERE I KNEW I WOULD BREAK OUT BECAUSE MORGANTOWN WAS VFR. THEY GAVE ME 2400 WHERE I BROKE OUT AND SAW THE ARPT. I SHOULD NOT HAVE ASSUMED I COULD FLY TO MY DEST VFR ON TOP WITHOUT MORE ADEQUATE PIREPS FOR MY ENRTE PORTION.

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.