Narrative:

WX was 1400 ft overcast with better than 10 mi visibility. As is usually the case in colorado, ice was forecast with clouds and precipitation. A call to the tower suggested no ice reported by PIREPS in vicinity. A clearance was obtained for local ILS approachs and the flight commenced. The first approach was uneventful and confirmed bases at about 1400 ft AGL, tops in excess of 9000 ft MSL. On the second approach, after entering IMC, we were advised that an mlt reported light rime at 9000 ft MSL north of the airport. The ILS GS intercept altitude for our approach (runway 17R) is 9000 ft MSL and we were cleared to 9000 ft MSL. Since we had, without event, just completed all ILS to runway 17R and the MSA for our location is 9000 ft, we completed the approach. Upon landing, we had accumulated plus or minus 1/4 inch rime on the leading edges of the wings, horizontal stabilizer and vertical fin. The windshield remained clear, with full defrost, and the aircraft flew normally using normal power settings and airspds. In retrospect, with a 1400 ft ceiling, it may have been prudent to request a 180 degree turn and descent to VFR immediately after receiving the PIREP from the small aircraft. This would have taken us about 1400 ft below the MSA, but I am confident it could have been done safely with the help of ATC. We would have broken out at about 7572 ft MSL and the airport elevation is 6172 ft. One problem cause is rapidly changing conditions. The entire flight, including taxi time, took 0.8 hours, and the first approach was normal. After the flight, I did see another small aircraft make the approach. It is possible that pilots are afraid to submit reports on ice for fear of certificate action when not in properly equipped aircraft. I reported my encounter to ground after landing. Reporting ice without fear of certificate action would be a step in the right direction (of course, not in cases of total negligence).

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN SMA ENCOUNTERED SOME RIME AIRFRAME ICING ON A TRAINING FLT. THE ICE WAS RPTED BY PIREP.

Narrative: WX WAS 1400 FT OVCST WITH BETTER THAN 10 MI VISIBILITY. AS IS USUALLY THE CASE IN COLORADO, ICE WAS FORECAST WITH CLOUDS AND PRECIPITATION. A CALL TO THE TWR SUGGESTED NO ICE RPTED BY PIREPS IN VICINITY. A CLRNC WAS OBTAINED FOR LCL ILS APCHS AND THE FLT COMMENCED. THE FIRST APCH WAS UNEVENTFUL AND CONFIRMED BASES AT ABOUT 1400 FT AGL, TOPS IN EXCESS OF 9000 FT MSL. ON THE SECOND APCH, AFTER ENTERING IMC, WE WERE ADVISED THAT AN MLT RPTED LIGHT RIME AT 9000 FT MSL N OF THE ARPT. THE ILS GS INTERCEPT ALT FOR OUR APCH (RWY 17R) IS 9000 FT MSL AND WE WERE CLRED TO 9000 FT MSL. SINCE WE HAD, WITHOUT EVENT, JUST COMPLETED ALL ILS TO RWY 17R AND THE MSA FOR OUR LOCATION IS 9000 FT, WE COMPLETED THE APCH. UPON LNDG, WE HAD ACCUMULATED PLUS OR MINUS 1/4 INCH RIME ON THE LEADING EDGES OF THE WINGS, HORIZ STABILIZER AND VERT FIN. THE WINDSHIELD REMAINED CLR, WITH FULL DEFROST, AND THE ACFT FLEW NORMALLY USING NORMAL PWR SETTINGS AND AIRSPDS. IN RETROSPECT, WITH A 1400 FT CEILING, IT MAY HAVE BEEN PRUDENT TO REQUEST A 180 DEG TURN AND DSCNT TO VFR IMMEDIATELY AFTER RECEIVING THE PIREP FROM THE SMA. THIS WOULD HAVE TAKEN US ABOUT 1400 FT BELOW THE MSA, BUT I AM CONFIDENT IT COULD HAVE BEEN DONE SAFELY WITH THE HELP OF ATC. WE WOULD HAVE BROKEN OUT AT ABOUT 7572 FT MSL AND THE ARPT ELEVATION IS 6172 FT. ONE PROB CAUSE IS RAPIDLY CHANGING CONDITIONS. THE ENTIRE FLT, INCLUDING TAXI TIME, TOOK 0.8 HRS, AND THE FIRST APCH WAS NORMAL. AFTER THE FLT, I DID SEE ANOTHER SMA MAKE THE APCH. IT IS POSSIBLE THAT PLTS ARE AFRAID TO SUBMIT RPTS ON ICE FOR FEAR OF CERTIFICATE ACTION WHEN NOT IN PROPERLY EQUIPPED ACFT. I RPTED MY ENCOUNTER TO GND AFTER LNDG. RPTING ICE WITHOUT FEAR OF CERTIFICATE ACTION WOULD BE A STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION (OF COURSE, NOT IN CASES OF TOTAL NEGLIGENCE).

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.