Narrative:

I obtained a standard WX briefing. Any icing at 6000 ft would be north of my planned route. I filed for 4000 ft, but 6000 ft was MEA in direction of flight. Believing that any icing was north, I accepted clearance of 6000 ft. Cruising at 6000 ft, I noted the beginning of ice on leading edges of wings -- none on windscreen, propeller tips or leading edges of stabilizer that I could detect. I informed ATC of the situation and was reminded of MEA and that dca clearance had relayed this to me. The accumulation was trace-light. ATC gave me clearance to 5000 ft, and the ice melted at approximately 5800 ft. WX is not an exact science, and we need to realize this fact and use our judgement accordingly! Another occurrence on this flight is as follows. A few mi east of casanova VOR I was assigned a heading to intercept airway south of VOR. Instead of using 'from' radial of nearest VOR, I tuned to next VOR, thinking that it was in range, but it was not. I maintained assigned heading, and the next controller asked what heading. I was south of airway and had just begun to receive 'next' VOR. I should have naved using closer and idented facility. Even though I prefer to navigation 'to' rather than 'from,' the approved and safest procedure is to use the closer and idented facility.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: BE58, BEECH BARON ENCOUNTERS ICING EVEN THOUGH IT WAS RPTED N OF HIS RTE. ATC ISSUES LOWER EVEN THOUGH MEA IS AT PREVIOUS LEVEL. PLT THEN USES VOR AHEAD INSTEAD OF CLOSEST VOR FOR NAV RESULTING IN HEADING DEV.

Narrative: I OBTAINED A STANDARD WX BRIEFING. ANY ICING AT 6000 FT WOULD BE N OF MY PLANNED RTE. I FILED FOR 4000 FT, BUT 6000 FT WAS MEA IN DIRECTION OF FLT. BELIEVING THAT ANY ICING WAS N, I ACCEPTED CLRNC OF 6000 FT. CRUISING AT 6000 FT, I NOTED THE BEGINNING OF ICE ON LEADING EDGES OF WINGS -- NONE ON WINDSCREEN, PROP TIPS OR LEADING EDGES OF STABILIZER THAT I COULD DETECT. I INFORMED ATC OF THE SIT AND WAS REMINDED OF MEA AND THAT DCA CLRNC HAD RELAYED THIS TO ME. THE ACCUMULATION WAS TRACE-LIGHT. ATC GAVE ME CLRNC TO 5000 FT, AND THE ICE MELTED AT APPROX 5800 FT. WX IS NOT AN EXACT SCIENCE, AND WE NEED TO REALIZE THIS FACT AND USE OUR JUDGEMENT ACCORDINGLY! ANOTHER OCCURRENCE ON THIS FLT IS AS FOLLOWS. A FEW MI E OF CASANOVA VOR I WAS ASSIGNED A HEADING TO INTERCEPT AIRWAY S OF VOR. INSTEAD OF USING 'FROM' RADIAL OF NEAREST VOR, I TUNED TO NEXT VOR, THINKING THAT IT WAS IN RANGE, BUT IT WAS NOT. I MAINTAINED ASSIGNED HEADING, AND THE NEXT CTLR ASKED WHAT HEADING. I WAS S OF AIRWAY AND HAD JUST BEGUN TO RECEIVE 'NEXT' VOR. I SHOULD HAVE NAVED USING CLOSER AND IDENTED FACILITY. EVEN THOUGH I PREFER TO NAV 'TO' RATHER THAN 'FROM,' THE APPROVED AND SAFEST PROC IS TO USE THE CLOSER AND IDENTED FACILITY.

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.