Narrative:

During an instrument flight on apr/mon/95 from columbia, sc, with a destination of niagara falls, in a single engine C-182, while flying at 9000 ft on V35 approaching ihd VOR, we entered an overcast, we encountered severe and rapid buildup of rime ice. We notified ZOB and were cleared to 11000 ft. At that altitude, we continued in the overcast and continued to build rime ice. We were in and out of the overcast and we deviated from our heading to avoid ice and more buildup. ATC questioned our heading change. ZOB informed us that an airport, lbe, was just ahead at the lower altitude of 6000 ft. We encountered no more icing and landed with no problems at XA23Z at lbe. If a problem like this should occur, a request would be made to change our route 180 degrees to return to VFR conditions, which we left at mgm morgantown VOR. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: this pilot was attempting to be extra safe by taking a friend, who was a more experienced instrument instructor, along with him on the flight from florida. However, the friend filed the flight plan from cae through some WX that did not look good to the reporter. The friend said that they should fly to the WX area and take a look at it. When the aircraft iced up, the friend joined the pilot in his concern. ZOB controllers saved the day for these pilots. They reported the WX at lbe and vectored them to the airport and after landing they called and inquired as to their safety. The reporter had nothing but kind regard for those controllers. As for his companion, he will not fly with him again. The aircraft, a cessna 182, was picked up a month later in good WX and he flew it home safely.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ENRTE WX ICING. PLT ENCOUNTERS ICING AND DEVIATES FROM HIS RTE WHILE ATTEMPTING TO AVOID MORE ICING. HE FINALLY, WITH CTR'S ASSISTANCE, DIVERTS AND LANDS.

Narrative: DURING AN INST FLT ON APR/MON/95 FROM COLUMBIA, SC, WITH A DEST OF NIAGARA FALLS, IN A SINGLE ENG C-182, WHILE FLYING AT 9000 FT ON V35 APCHING IHD VOR, WE ENTERED AN OVCST, WE ENCOUNTERED SEVERE AND RAPID BUILDUP OF RIME ICE. WE NOTIFIED ZOB AND WERE CLRED TO 11000 FT. AT THAT ALT, WE CONTINUED IN THE OVCST AND CONTINUED TO BUILD RIME ICE. WE WERE IN AND OUT OF THE OVCST AND WE DEVIATED FROM OUR HDG TO AVOID ICE AND MORE BUILDUP. ATC QUESTIONED OUR HDG CHANGE. ZOB INFORMED US THAT AN ARPT, LBE, WAS JUST AHEAD AT THE LOWER ALT OF 6000 FT. WE ENCOUNTERED NO MORE ICING AND LANDED WITH NO PROBS AT XA23Z AT LBE. IF A PROB LIKE THIS SHOULD OCCUR, A REQUEST WOULD BE MADE TO CHANGE OUR RTE 180 DEGS TO RETURN TO VFR CONDITIONS, WHICH WE LEFT AT MGM MORGANTOWN VOR. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THIS PLT WAS ATTEMPTING TO BE EXTRA SAFE BY TAKING A FRIEND, WHO WAS A MORE EXPERIENCED INST INSTRUCTOR, ALONG WITH HIM ON THE FLT FROM FLORIDA. HOWEVER, THE FRIEND FILED THE FLT PLAN FROM CAE THROUGH SOME WX THAT DID NOT LOOK GOOD TO THE RPTR. THE FRIEND SAID THAT THEY SHOULD FLY TO THE WX AREA AND TAKE A LOOK AT IT. WHEN THE ACFT ICED UP, THE FRIEND JOINED THE PLT IN HIS CONCERN. ZOB CTLRS SAVED THE DAY FOR THESE PLTS. THEY RPTED THE WX AT LBE AND VECTORED THEM TO THE ARPT AND AFTER LNDG THEY CALLED AND INQUIRED AS TO THEIR SAFETY. THE RPTR HAD NOTHING BUT KIND REGARD FOR THOSE CTLRS. AS FOR HIS COMPANION, HE WILL NOT FLY WITH HIM AGAIN. THE ACFT, A CESSNA 182, WAS PICKED UP A MONTH LATER IN GOOD WX AND HE FLEW IT HOME SAFELY.

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.