Narrative:

I was on an IFR flight plan from 44C (beloit) airport to manitowoc, wi. The flight was a pleasure flight to deliver 2 friends to manitowoc for the holiday. En route WX was gained from a 'WX nation terminal' (computer). The WX hard copy made no mention of ice at either departure airport or destination airport. Chance of snow was mentioned. Green bay called for a chance of freezing drizzle. Green bay is 40 mi northwest of manitowoc. I departed beloit and obtained a clearance from rfd approach with vectors to madison then oshkosh and manitowoc. On climb out I encountered trace icing and notified rfd approach. Because of known ice at departure airport I was unable to return without far violation. I was VFR on top at 3400 ft (2600 ft AGL). Flew rest of trip on top without any problems until instructed to descend to 2500 ft from 4000 ft. On descent into manitowoc (vectors) I began to encounter ice. Requested 4000 ft to remain on top and out of ice. Green bay cleared to 4000 ft. 5 mins later green bay advised to descend to 2500 ft once again encountered icing. Usually icing localized or in narrow altitude band. I expected to descend through the ice. At 2500 ft advised green bay of icing. I was told that there were no other reports of ice in vicinity. I requested higher at 3000 ft declared emergency. I continued climb to 4000 ft and attempted to divert to ape in VFR on top conditions. Due to ice accumulations I was unable to reach VFR on top. At 4000 ft with full power, carburetor heat, lean mixture airspeed level flight was 85 KTS. Experienced buffet! I promptly lowered nose and again advised green bay of emergency. I was cleared for the approach into manitowoc. I followed localizer however I immediately descended to MVFR conditions. Broke out at 1900 AGL, made normal landing at manitowoc using full power. The hard copy WX did not mention ice. My understanding of ice is that it is usually localized and seldom thick, without being noticed by NOAA or other pilots. PIREPS were not available for either departure or destination airport. I continued on to destination because I was in VFR on top without ice. I thought that if there was ice at destination I could return home. ATC advised of light trace ice at destination early in morning, none since. I promptly declared an emergency, and did my best to get out of the icing then land as soon as possible. I probably should have turned back at first indication of ice on initial descent. Fortunately, I survived to tell others of my lessons. Any ice, even trace, is too much.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA ENCOUNTERS ICE, UNABLE TO CLB TO ON TOP, DECLARED AN EMER.

Narrative: I WAS ON AN IFR FLT PLAN FROM 44C (BELOIT) ARPT TO MANITOWOC, WI. THE FLT WAS A PLEASURE FLT TO DELIVER 2 FRIENDS TO MANITOWOC FOR THE HOLIDAY. ENRTE WX WAS GAINED FROM A 'WX NATION TERMINAL' (COMPUTER). THE WX HARD COPY MADE NO MENTION OF ICE AT EITHER DEP ARPT OR DEST ARPT. CHANCE OF SNOW WAS MENTIONED. GREEN BAY CALLED FOR A CHANCE OF FREEZING DRIZZLE. GREEN BAY IS 40 MI NW OF MANITOWOC. I DEPARTED BELOIT AND OBTAINED A CLRNC FROM RFD APCH WITH VECTORS TO MADISON THEN OSHKOSH AND MANITOWOC. ON CLBOUT I ENCOUNTERED TRACE ICING AND NOTIFIED RFD APCH. BECAUSE OF KNOWN ICE AT DEP ARPT I WAS UNABLE TO RETURN WITHOUT FAR VIOLATION. I WAS VFR ON TOP AT 3400 FT (2600 FT AGL). FLEW REST OF TRIP ON TOP WITHOUT ANY PROBLEMS UNTIL INSTRUCTED TO DSND TO 2500 FT FROM 4000 FT. ON DSCNT INTO MANITOWOC (VECTORS) I BEGAN TO ENCOUNTER ICE. REQUESTED 4000 FT TO REMAIN ON TOP AND OUT OF ICE. GREEN BAY CLRED TO 4000 FT. 5 MINS LATER GREEN BAY ADVISED TO DSND TO 2500 FT ONCE AGAIN ENCOUNTERED ICING. USUALLY ICING LOCALIZED OR IN NARROW ALT BAND. I EXPECTED TO DSND THROUGH THE ICE. AT 2500 FT ADVISED GREEN BAY OF ICING. I WAS TOLD THAT THERE WERE NO OTHER RPTS OF ICE IN VICINITY. I REQUESTED HIGHER AT 3000 FT DECLARED EMER. I CONTINUED CLB TO 4000 FT AND ATTEMPTED TO DIVERT TO APE IN VFR ON TOP CONDITIONS. DUE TO ICE ACCUMULATIONS I WAS UNABLE TO REACH VFR ON TOP. AT 4000 FT WITH FULL PWR, CARB HEAT, LEAN MIXTURE AIRSPD LEVEL FLT WAS 85 KTS. EXPERIENCED BUFFET! I PROMPTLY LOWERED NOSE AND AGAIN ADVISED GREEN BAY OF EMER. I WAS CLRED FOR THE APCH INTO MANITOWOC. I FOLLOWED LOC HOWEVER I IMMEDIATELY DSNDED TO MVFR CONDITIONS. BROKE OUT AT 1900 AGL, MADE NORMAL LNDG AT MANITOWOC USING FULL PWR. THE HARD COPY WX DID NOT MENTION ICE. MY UNDERSTANDING OF ICE IS THAT IT IS USUALLY LOCALIZED AND SELDOM THICK, WITHOUT BEING NOTICED BY NOAA OR OTHER PLTS. PIREPS WERE NOT AVAILABLE FOR EITHER DEP OR DEST ARPT. I CONTINUED ON TO DEST BECAUSE I WAS IN VFR ON TOP WITHOUT ICE. I THOUGHT THAT IF THERE WAS ICE AT DEST I COULD RETURN HOME. ATC ADVISED OF LIGHT TRACE ICE AT DEST EARLY IN MORNING, NONE SINCE. I PROMPTLY DECLARED AN EMER, AND DID MY BEST TO GET OUT OF THE ICING THEN LAND AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. I PROBABLY SHOULD HAVE TURNED BACK AT FIRST INDICATION OF ICE ON INITIAL DSCNT. FORTUNATELY, I SURVIVED TO TELL OTHERS OF MY LESSONS. ANY ICE, EVEN TRACE, IS TOO MUCH.

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.