Deviated from altitude to avoid possible icing.

Attributes
ACN	258106
Time
Date	199311
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : iad
State Reference	VA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 6700 msl bound upper : 7000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zjx
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute airway : iad
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : cfi pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 50 flight time total : 670 flight time type : 250
ASRS Report	258106
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude inflight encounter : weather non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

On the night on nov/xx I broke my altitude assignment. On that night the area that we were flying into reported icing conditions. Although the majority of our flight was VFR I saw a band of clouds up ahead at our altitude of 7000 ft. We were in the process of changing controllers, so I waited for the handoff to request a lower altitude to avoid the clouds and possible icing. When I made my request the controller 'noted' it and went on with his business. At that time I entered the cloud so I began a descent to a lower altitude without permission. The controller saw my change in altitude and asked my intentions. I told him I was descending to avoid possible icing. He then told me that on my initial call I should have told him I wanted to descend to avoid ice. In the future I will state why I want the diversion and in the case of icing I'm sure they will do whatever possible to accommodate me.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DEVIATED FROM ALT TO AVOID POSSIBLE ICING.

Narrative: ON THE NIGHT ON NOV/XX I BROKE MY ALT ASSIGNMENT. ON THAT NIGHT THE AREA THAT WE WERE FLYING INTO RPTED ICING CONDITIONS. ALTHOUGH THE MAJORITY OF OUR FLT WAS VFR I SAW A BAND OF CLOUDS UP AHEAD AT OUR ALT OF 7000 FT. WE WERE IN THE PROCESS OF CHANGING CTLRS, SO I WAITED FOR THE HDOF TO REQUEST A LOWER ALT TO AVOID THE CLOUDS AND POSSIBLE ICING. WHEN I MADE MY REQUEST THE CTLR 'NOTED' IT AND WENT ON WITH HIS BUSINESS. AT THAT TIME I ENTERED THE CLOUD SO I BEGAN A DSCNT TO A LOWER ALT WITHOUT PERMISSION. THE CTLR SAW MY CHANGE IN ALT AND ASKED MY INTENTIONS. I TOLD HIM I WAS DSNDING TO AVOID POSSIBLE ICING. HE THEN TOLD ME THAT ON MY INITIAL CALL I SHOULD HAVE TOLD HIM I WANTED TO DSND TO AVOID ICE. IN THE FUTURE I WILL STATE WHY I WANT THE DIVERSION AND IN THE CASE OF ICING I'M SURE THEY WILL DO WHATEVER POSSIBLE TO ACCOMMODATE ME.

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.