Pilot of an small aircraft sel descended below assigned altitude and failed to report over assigned ...

Attributes
ACN	307670
Time
Date	199506
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : czi airport : byg
State Reference	WY
Altitude	msl bound lower : 10500 msl bound upper : 11000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise other cruise other
Route In Use	enroute airway : zdv
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 50 flight time total : 500 flight time type : 20
ASRS Report	307670
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude inflight encounter : weather non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : exited adverse environment other
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Weather
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Denver WX was IFR but no forecast for icing. Wyoming WX was IFR, with the ceiling to be 13000 ft and layered between 9000 ft and 13000 ft. There was a chance of icing in the clouds, but I figured we could get in between the layers or even below the bases VFR if we ran into trouble. Moderate mixed icing occurred between 10000 ft and 12000 ft MSL just north of medicine bow and approximately 20 mi south of casper. At this point we were getting a large build up of ice and we could no longer climb out of it and if we descended we would go below the MEA. We were able to divert to the west and get in between layers. In order to remain clear of the clouds for any length of time we had to descend to 10500 ft which was approximately 500 ft below our assigned altitude of 11000 ft. 2 mins later we were assigned 10800 ft and then another 2 mins we were assigned 10500 ft, which we had already been at for some time. Approximately 10 mi south of casper we were at the base of the cloud layer and beginning to shed some of our ice. At this point we were asked of our intentions. I decided to keep going to sheridan feeling that we should have sufficient fuel. At this point we were asked to report crossing crazy woman VOR. At the time we passed over the VOR another aircraft being controled by center had lost an engine and was having trouble communicating their intentions. The controller asked that all aircraft standby. So with all the confusion we were unable to report crazy woman and we proceeded now thinking about our fuel situation and making the decision to cut our trip short and land at johnson airport approximately 30 mi south of sheridan. At this point I was intent on finding the little one runway airport, I forgot to report crossing crazy woman. Before sending us off to the next controller we were asked if we had made the report. Looking back now I have thought of several things I could have done better. I should have landed at casper, refueled and made a fresh start towards sheridan. Secondly I should have known that aircraft just a little better than I did.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF AN SMA SEL DSNDED BELOW ASSIGNED ALT AND FAILED TO RPT OVER ASSIGNED RPTING FIX.

Narrative: DENVER WX WAS IFR BUT NO FORECAST FOR ICING. WYOMING WX WAS IFR, WITH THE CEILING TO BE 13000 FT AND LAYERED BTWN 9000 FT AND 13000 FT. THERE WAS A CHANCE OF ICING IN THE CLOUDS, BUT I FIGURED WE COULD GET IN BTWN THE LAYERS OR EVEN BELOW THE BASES VFR IF WE RAN INTO TROUBLE. MODERATE MIXED ICING OCCURRED BTWN 10000 FT AND 12000 FT MSL JUST N OF MEDICINE BOW AND APPROX 20 MI S OF CASPER. AT THIS POINT WE WERE GETTING A LARGE BUILD UP OF ICE AND WE COULD NO LONGER CLB OUT OF IT AND IF WE DSNDED WE WOULD GO BELOW THE MEA. WE WERE ABLE TO DIVERT TO THE W AND GET IN BTWN LAYERS. IN ORDER TO REMAIN CLR OF THE CLOUDS FOR ANY LENGTH OF TIME WE HAD TO DSND TO 10500 FT WHICH WAS APPROX 500 FT BELOW OUR ASSIGNED ALT OF 11000 FT. 2 MINS LATER WE WERE ASSIGNED 10800 FT AND THEN ANOTHER 2 MINS WE WERE ASSIGNED 10500 FT, WHICH WE HAD ALREADY BEEN AT FOR SOME TIME. APPROX 10 MI S OF CASPER WE WERE AT THE BASE OF THE CLOUD LAYER AND BEGINNING TO SHED SOME OF OUR ICE. AT THIS POINT WE WERE ASKED OF OUR INTENTIONS. I DECIDED TO KEEP GOING TO SHERIDAN FEELING THAT WE SHOULD HAVE SUFFICIENT FUEL. AT THIS POINT WE WERE ASKED TO RPT XING CRAZY WOMAN VOR. AT THE TIME WE PASSED OVER THE VOR ANOTHER ACFT BEING CTLED BY CTR HAD LOST AN ENG AND WAS HAVING TROUBLE COMMUNICATING THEIR INTENTIONS. THE CTLR ASKED THAT ALL ACFT STANDBY. SO WITH ALL THE CONFUSION WE WERE UNABLE TO RPT CRAZY WOMAN AND WE PROCEEDED NOW THINKING ABOUT OUR FUEL SIT AND MAKING THE DECISION TO CUT OUR TRIP SHORT AND LAND AT JOHNSON ARPT APPROX 30 MI S OF SHERIDAN. AT THIS POINT I WAS INTENT ON FINDING THE LITTLE ONE RWY ARPT, I FORGOT TO RPT XING CRAZY WOMAN. BEFORE SENDING US OFF TO THE NEXT CTLR WE WERE ASKED IF WE HAD MADE THE RPT. LOOKING BACK NOW I HAVE THOUGHT OF SEVERAL THINGS I COULD HAVE DONE BETTER. I SHOULD HAVE LANDED AT CASPER, REFUELED AND MADE A FRESH START TOWARDS SHERIDAN. SECONDLY I SHOULD HAVE KNOWN THAT ACFT JUST A LITTLE BETTER THAN I DID.

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.

Pilot of an small aircraft sel descended below assigned altitude and failed to report over assigned reporting fix.