In-flight encounter with icing. Pilot later questions timeliness of decision in his choice of altern...

Attributes
ACN	207992
Time
Date	199203
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : psb
State Reference	PA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 4000 msl bound upper : 7000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zny
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Retractable Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute airway : v6
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 30 flight time total : 5600 flight time type : 1100
ASRS Report	207992
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical inflight encounter : weather other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency flight crew : overcame equipment problem other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

I was wbound on V-6 at 4000 ft when I unexpectedly encountered freezing rain. Tried to climb to warmer air but accumulated 1 1/2 inches of ice by 7000 ft, so reversed course toward psb and descended to 4000 ft. Using full power to maintenance 120 mph, ATC vectored for ILS to psb. Could not make an approach due to communication problem first and then navigation equipment malfunction (possibly due to iced-up antenna). After delays of about 30 mins, I was vectored to capital city airport (cky) for a VFR descent and landing. I wondered later why I had not proceeded directly to harrisburg, which I knew was VFR. Departing cxy the following morning, I was aware of an exhaust odor when I turned the heat on during climb out. I turned the heat and defroster off and opened air vents for remainder of flight. Had the mufflers removed for inspection and found a hole about 1 inch diameter in front muffler near air inlet. Glass bead blasting revealed 3 other areas of leakage in the same vicinity that were not obvious to the naked eye. I believe carbon monoxide affected my judgement at philipsburg and recommend use of a carbon monoxide detector during cold WX.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: INFLT ENCOUNTER WITH ICING. PLT LATER QUESTIONS TIMELINESS OF DECISION IN HIS CHOICE OF ALTERNATE ARPT DURING THE DIVERSION AND FLT ASSIST.

Narrative: I WAS WBOUND ON V-6 AT 4000 FT WHEN I UNEXPECTEDLY ENCOUNTERED FREEZING RAIN. TRIED TO CLB TO WARMER AIR BUT ACCUMULATED 1 1/2 INCHES OF ICE BY 7000 FT, SO REVERSED COURSE TOWARD PSB AND DSNDED TO 4000 FT. USING FULL PWR TO MAINT 120 MPH, ATC VECTORED FOR ILS TO PSB. COULD NOT MAKE AN APCH DUE TO COM PROBLEM FIRST AND THEN NAV EQUIP MALFUNCTION (POSSIBLY DUE TO ICED-UP ANTENNA). AFTER DELAYS OF ABOUT 30 MINS, I WAS VECTORED TO CAPITAL CITY ARPT (CKY) FOR A VFR DSCNT AND LNDG. I WONDERED LATER WHY I HAD NOT PROCEEDED DIRECTLY TO HARRISBURG, WHICH I KNEW WAS VFR. DEPARTING CXY THE FOLLOWING MORNING, I WAS AWARE OF AN EXHAUST ODOR WHEN I TURNED THE HEAT ON DURING CLBOUT. I TURNED THE HEAT AND DEFROSTER OFF AND OPENED AIR VENTS FOR REMAINDER OF FLT. HAD THE MUFFLERS REMOVED FOR INSPECTION AND FOUND A HOLE ABOUT 1 INCH DIAMETER IN FRONT MUFFLER NEAR AIR INLET. GLASS BEAD BLASTING REVEALED 3 OTHER AREAS OF LEAKAGE IN THE SAME VICINITY THAT WERE NOT OBVIOUS TO THE NAKED EYE. I BELIEVE CARBON MONOXIDE AFFECTED MY JUDGEMENT AT PHILIPSBURG AND RECOMMEND USE OF A CARBON MONOXIDE DETECTOR DURING COLD WX.

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.

In-flight encounter with icing. Pilot later questions timeliness of decision in his choice of alternate airport during the diversion and flight assist.