Narrative:

Cruising at 90 KIAS, having recently climbed through the cloud layer with no icing, I passed into the top of a cloud and started to pick up moderate rime, I had just been handed off to ZTL by ZME on 123.6 (this is what I heard and called back with no correction). I almost always write down new frequencys, and I did with this one, but I had not written down the last memphis frequency. I tried to call ZTL, but got no response. The clouds were coming up to get me. I decided to climb to stay on top, out of the ice. I left my assigned altitude of 9000 ft and ended up at 10200 ft with the belly of the plane skimming the tops. When I finally regained radio contact with atl, I was approved for 10000 ft. Soon I needed 11000 ft and got it. Coming up on 1 particularly high ridge in the clouds, I let the airplane drift up to 11400 ft just long enough to top the ridge and slide back down the other side. I elected not to advise ATC of this deviation because it was so slight and the controller seemed rather busy at the time. Just as I topped the cloud. The controller advised me of the local altimeter setting and slightly less than politely reminded me of my assigned altitude of 11000 ft. I replied that I was on my way back down at the time. End of story. Conditions: minus 5 degrees centigrade, winds 290 at 35 KTS, visibility unlimited on top. I have little to no experience with icing and avoid it like the plague. The plane has no de-ice. I was in great health, recently fed, comfortably warm, and enjoying the flight. (No undue stress.) problem arose with higher than expected clouds and not enough performance ability in the airplane. No real bad situation, but a deviation that I could have handled better by communication with the controling authority/authorized. Proper frequency was 133.6.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA WITH INSTRUCTOR FLYING HAS ALTDEV ON IFR FLT PLAN.

Narrative: CRUISING AT 90 KIAS, HAVING RECENTLY CLBED THROUGH THE CLOUD LAYER WITH NO ICING, I PASSED INTO THE TOP OF A CLOUD AND STARTED TO PICK UP MODERATE RIME, I HAD JUST BEEN HANDED OFF TO ZTL BY ZME ON 123.6 (THIS IS WHAT I HEARD AND CALLED BACK WITH NO CORRECTION). I ALMOST ALWAYS WRITE DOWN NEW FREQS, AND I DID WITH THIS ONE, BUT I HAD NOT WRITTEN DOWN THE LAST MEMPHIS FREQ. I TRIED TO CALL ZTL, BUT GOT NO RESPONSE. THE CLOUDS WERE COMING UP TO GET ME. I DECIDED TO CLB TO STAY ON TOP, OUT OF THE ICE. I LEFT MY ASSIGNED ALT OF 9000 FT AND ENDED UP AT 10200 FT WITH THE BELLY OF THE PLANE SKIMMING THE TOPS. WHEN I FINALLY REGAINED RADIO CONTACT WITH ATL, I WAS APPROVED FOR 10000 FT. SOON I NEEDED 11000 FT AND GOT IT. COMING UP ON 1 PARTICULARLY HIGH RIDGE IN THE CLOUDS, I LET THE AIRPLANE DRIFT UP TO 11400 FT JUST LONG ENOUGH TO TOP THE RIDGE AND SLIDE BACK DOWN THE OTHER SIDE. I ELECTED NOT TO ADVISE ATC OF THIS DEV BECAUSE IT WAS SO SLIGHT AND THE CTLR SEEMED RATHER BUSY AT THE TIME. JUST AS I TOPPED THE CLOUD. THE CTLR ADVISED ME OF THE LCL ALTIMETER SETTING AND SLIGHTLY LESS THAN POLITELY REMINDED ME OF MY ASSIGNED ALT OF 11000 FT. I REPLIED THAT I WAS ON MY WAY BACK DOWN AT THE TIME. END OF STORY. CONDITIONS: MINUS 5 DEGS CENTIGRADE, WINDS 290 AT 35 KTS, VISIBILITY UNLIMITED ON TOP. I HAVE LITTLE TO NO EXPERIENCE WITH ICING AND AVOID IT LIKE THE PLAGUE. THE PLANE HAS NO DE-ICE. I WAS IN GREAT HEALTH, RECENTLY FED, COMFORTABLY WARM, AND ENJOYING THE FLT. (NO UNDUE STRESS.) PROB AROSE WITH HIGHER THAN EXPECTED CLOUDS AND NOT ENOUGH PERFORMANCE ABILITY IN THE AIRPLANE. NO REAL BAD SIT, BUT A DEV THAT I COULD HAVE HANDLED BETTER BY COM WITH THE CTLING AUTH. PROPER FREQ WAS 133.6.

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.