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Small aircraft pilot on IFR flight plan denied request for lower when encounters icing. Descends after telling controller.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 202093 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199202 |
| Day | Sun |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : hfd |
| State Reference | CT |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 3000 msl bound upper : 7000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | Mixed |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Operator | general aviation : personal |
| Make Model Name | Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Retractable Gear |
| Flight Phase | cruise other descent other |
| Route In Use | enroute airway : bdl |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | Other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : instrument pilot : commercial |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 40 flight time total : 725 flight time type : 560 |
| ASRS Report | 202093 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : approach |
| Qualification | controller : radar |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | inflight encounter : weather non adherence : clearance non adherence : far |
| Independent Detector | other other : unspecified cockpit |
| Resolutory Action | controller : issued new clearance flight crew : took evasive action flight crew : exited adverse environment |
| Consequence | faa : reviewed incident with flight crew |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
Incident occurred en route from kinston, nc (iso), to bedford, ma (bed). Flying on an IFR flight plan at 7000 ft MSL. Top of cloud deck had been at 5000 ft to 6000 ft en route southwest of hfd VOR cloud tops began creeping up. My options, given the temperature (0 degrees), was to climb to 9000, but it appeared that the base of the next layer would put me in the same situation down the road. At that point I requested 5000 or lower, and was entering cloud deck at the same time. Controller denied request (after I told him I was experiencing light icing) for descent. He asked if I had deicing equipment, negative, and if I had gotten a WX briefing (stupid). I actually had a prefiling briefing and an en route from boston flight watch/radio? Ice was now continuing to build and I told the controller I was going to descend now. He denied my request. I started down. He finally gave me vectors for descent. Level at 3000 ft. No problem. Next, call the tower. This was my first and last, hopefully, experience with ice. Called the tower chief and matter was resolved. No ATC action. Conclusion: as PIC, either declare an emergency or request immediate vectors and descent to nearest airport. Do not hesitate. Do not expect anyone else to know your circumstances. Be assertive and definite with your request. If all else fails, check your MEA, and do it, face the music later -- in 1 piece.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: SMA PLT ON IFR FLT PLAN DENIED REQUEST FOR LOWER WHEN ENCOUNTERS ICING. DSNDS AFTER TELLING CTLR.
Narrative: INCIDENT OCCURRED ENRTE FROM KINSTON, NC (ISO), TO BEDFORD, MA (BED). FLYING ON AN IFR FLT PLAN AT 7000 FT MSL. TOP OF CLOUD DECK HAD BEEN AT 5000 FT TO 6000 FT ENRTE SW OF HFD VOR CLOUD TOPS BEGAN CREEPING UP. MY OPTIONS, GIVEN THE TEMP (0 DEGS), WAS TO CLB TO 9000, BUT IT APPEARED THAT THE BASE OF THE NEXT LAYER WOULD PUT ME IN THE SAME SITUATION DOWN THE ROAD. AT THAT POINT I REQUESTED 5000 OR LOWER, AND WAS ENTERING CLOUD DECK AT THE SAME TIME. CTLR DENIED REQUEST (AFTER I TOLD HIM I WAS EXPERIENCING LIGHT ICING) FOR DSCNT. HE ASKED IF I HAD DEICING EQUIP, NEGATIVE, AND IF I HAD GOTTEN A WX BRIEFING (STUPID). I ACTUALLY HAD A PREFILING BRIEFING AND AN ENRTE FROM BOSTON FLT WATCH/RADIO? ICE WAS NOW CONTINUING TO BUILD AND I TOLD THE CTLR I WAS GOING TO DSND NOW. HE DENIED MY REQUEST. I STARTED DOWN. HE FINALLY GAVE ME VECTORS FOR DSCNT. LEVEL AT 3000 FT. NO PROBLEM. NEXT, CALL THE TWR. THIS WAS MY FIRST AND LAST, HOPEFULLY, EXPERIENCE WITH ICE. CALLED THE TWR CHIEF AND MATTER WAS RESOLVED. NO ATC ACTION. CONCLUSION: AS PIC, EITHER DECLARE AN EMER OR REQUEST IMMEDIATE VECTORS AND DSCNT TO NEAREST ARPT. DO NOT HESITATE. DO NOT EXPECT ANYONE ELSE TO KNOW YOUR CIRCUMSTANCES. BE ASSERTIVE AND DEFINITE WITH YOUR REQUEST. IF ALL ELSE FAILS, CHK YOUR MEA, AND DO IT, FACE THE MUSIC LATER -- IN 1 PIECE.
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.