Small aircraft declares emergency to avoid clearance to icing conditions.

Attributes
ACN	253001
Time
Date	199310
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : sky
State Reference	OH
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3000 msl bound upper : 12500
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft
Flight Phase	descent other
Route In Use	enroute airway : zob
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 25 flight time total : 800 flight time type : 500
ASRS Report	253001
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : weather non adherence : clearance other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance other
Consequence	Other

Narrative:

I was cleared to 12000 ft to maintain on top conditions. Tops were 11000 ft, temperature -5 degrees C. Passing tol, ZOB wanted me at 9000 ft. Because that would have placed me in icing conditions, I requested lower prior to any descent. As their coverage area would not permit this, I declared an emergency to stay on top till a lower altitude could be worked out. Was then given 3000 ft. While making a rapid descent, with gear and flaps extended, I deviated my assigned heading of 180 degrees to 260 degrees. Controller corrected me. Shortly thereafter, I was VMC at 3000 ft and cancelled IFR. This was my first flight of the 'icing season.' I could have planned the flight better. Isolated thunderstorms in area and the flight being at night after a full day of work didn't help the situation at all.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA DECLARES EMER TO AVOID CLRNC TO ICING CONDITIONS.

Narrative: I WAS CLRED TO 12000 FT TO MAINTAIN ON TOP CONDITIONS. TOPS WERE 11000 FT, TEMP -5 DEGS C. PASSING TOL, ZOB WANTED ME AT 9000 FT. BECAUSE THAT WOULD HAVE PLACED ME IN ICING CONDITIONS, I REQUESTED LOWER PRIOR TO ANY DSCNT. AS THEIR COVERAGE AREA WOULD NOT PERMIT THIS, I DECLARED AN EMER TO STAY ON TOP TILL A LOWER ALT COULD BE WORKED OUT. WAS THEN GIVEN 3000 FT. WHILE MAKING A RAPID DSCNT, WITH GEAR AND FLAPS EXTENDED, I DEVIATED MY ASSIGNED HDG OF 180 DEGS TO 260 DEGS. CTLR CORRECTED ME. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, I WAS VMC AT 3000 FT AND CANCELLED IFR. THIS WAS MY FIRST FLT OF THE 'ICING SEASON.' I COULD HAVE PLANNED THE FLT BETTER. ISOLATED TSTMS IN AREA AND THE FLT BEING AT NIGHT AFTER A FULL DAY OF WORK DIDN'T HELP THE SIT AT ALL.

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.