Divert land due to airframe icing.

Attributes
ACN	297554
Time
Date	199502
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : bal airport : mtn
State Reference	MD
Altitude	agl bound lower : 8000 agl bound upper : 8000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : bwi
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise other other other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors enroute airway : bwi
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 55 flight time total : 900 flight time type : 700
ASRS Report	297554
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : weather inflight encounter other other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : provided flight assist controller : issued new clearance flight crew : declared emergency flight crew : exited adverse environment other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Weather

Narrative:

I was flying from philadelphia, wings (N67) to benedum (ckb) en route home to nashville. Mins before my IFR WX briefing I had just finished getting 'grilled' in a legal deposition. I was anxious to leave philadelphia. I remember hearing about possible rime ice but, in my experience, if that starts it is usually slow to form and simple to avoid. The briefer discussed the area of icing in terms of an area bounded by cities which I basically could not readily relate to my route. I departed, climbed to 8000 ft and was cruising in thin clouds, cautiously checking every 2 mins for ice. About 1 hour into flight I noted what appeared to be a light accumulation of rime. I was deciding about requesting a new altitude when I noted a slight greenish tint to the strut leading edge. I looked hard and it didn't appear to be ice, I guessed it was an effect of sunlight in the clouds. Next I noted the airspeed decrease, the engine checked out ok, it was only then I realized there was serious icing. I immediately informed baltimore approach and requested the nearest ILS approach. They vectored me to 'martin state.' for some reason I could not find it in my nos plates, this led to mins of confusion, and I just requested the approach numbers. (Later on the ground, I found that martin is listed under B for baltimore). I made a no-flap, high speed approach, landed easily, got out and found about 1/4 inch of transparent ice on the struts and leading edges. Pilots should avoid ice! My judgement may have ben affected by the upsetting experience I had just had before coming to the airport. Verbal descriptions of areas may as well be in greek. Maybe someday a pilot can receive a graphic picture of area in airmets. Ice can be transparent. I've seen lots of pictures of ice on wings with big ragged edges. What I had looked nothing like that. Briefers can be very helpful. The one I spoke to after landing recommended a route first to the south, that took me rapidly to above freezing temperatures and eventually to clear conditions. I will always ask in the future when in a similar situation.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DIVERT LAND DUE TO AIRFRAME ICING.

Narrative: I WAS FLYING FROM PHILADELPHIA, WINGS (N67) TO BENEDUM (CKB) ENRTE HOME TO NASHVILLE. MINS BEFORE MY IFR WX BRIEFING I HAD JUST FINISHED GETTING 'GRILLED' IN A LEGAL DEPOSITION. I WAS ANXIOUS TO LEAVE PHILADELPHIA. I REMEMBER HEARING ABOUT POSSIBLE RIME ICE BUT, IN MY EXPERIENCE, IF THAT STARTS IT IS USUALLY SLOW TO FORM AND SIMPLE TO AVOID. THE BRIEFER DISCUSSED THE AREA OF ICING IN TERMS OF AN AREA BOUNDED BY CITIES WHICH I BASICALLY COULD NOT READILY RELATE TO MY RTE. I DEPARTED, CLBED TO 8000 FT AND WAS CRUISING IN THIN CLOUDS, CAUTIOUSLY CHKING EVERY 2 MINS FOR ICE. ABOUT 1 HR INTO FLT I NOTED WHAT APPEARED TO BE A LIGHT ACCUMULATION OF RIME. I WAS DECIDING ABOUT REQUESTING A NEW ALT WHEN I NOTED A SLIGHT GREENISH TINT TO THE STRUT LEADING EDGE. I LOOKED HARD AND IT DIDN'T APPEAR TO BE ICE, I GUESSED IT WAS AN EFFECT OF SUNLIGHT IN THE CLOUDS. NEXT I NOTED THE AIRSPD DECREASE, THE ENG CHKED OUT OK, IT WAS ONLY THEN I REALIZED THERE WAS SERIOUS ICING. I IMMEDIATELY INFORMED BALTIMORE APCH AND REQUESTED THE NEAREST ILS APCH. THEY VECTORED ME TO 'MARTIN STATE.' FOR SOME REASON I COULD NOT FIND IT IN MY NOS PLATES, THIS LED TO MINS OF CONFUSION, AND I JUST REQUESTED THE APCH NUMBERS. (LATER ON THE GND, I FOUND THAT MARTIN IS LISTED UNDER B FOR BALTIMORE). I MADE A NO-FLAP, HIGH SPD APCH, LANDED EASILY, GOT OUT AND FOUND ABOUT 1/4 INCH OF TRANSPARENT ICE ON THE STRUTS AND LEADING EDGES. PLTS SHOULD AVOID ICE! MY JUDGEMENT MAY HAVE BEN AFFECTED BY THE UPSETTING EXPERIENCE I HAD JUST HAD BEFORE COMING TO THE ARPT. VERBAL DESCRIPTIONS OF AREAS MAY AS WELL BE IN GREEK. MAYBE SOMEDAY A PLT CAN RECEIVE A GRAPHIC PICTURE OF AREA IN AIRMETS. ICE CAN BE TRANSPARENT. I'VE SEEN LOTS OF PICTURES OF ICE ON WINGS WITH BIG RAGGED EDGES. WHAT I HAD LOOKED NOTHING LIKE THAT. BRIEFERS CAN BE VERY HELPFUL. THE ONE I SPOKE TO AFTER LNDG RECOMMENDED A RTE FIRST TO THE S, THAT TOOK ME RAPIDLY TO ABOVE FREEZING TEMPS AND EVENTUALLY TO CLR CONDITIONS. I WILL ALWAYS ASK IN THE FUTURE WHEN IN A SIMILAR SIT.

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.