C170 pilot runs into foul WX en route gup to sdl. Picks up IFR climb and ice, descends, cancels IFR ...

Attributes
ACN	365718
Time
Date	199704
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : inw airport : e69
State Reference	AZ
Altitude	msl bound lower : 10000 msl bound upper : 10700
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zab
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Cessna 170
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude descent other other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 90 flight time total : 10500 flight time type : 300
ASRS Report	365718
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : weather other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : provided flight assist flight crew : declared emergency flight crew : exited adverse environment other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Weather
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

I departed gup on a VFR flight to sdl at approximately PM30 local time. I proceeded southwest toward better WX conditions than the direct route I had filed for my VFR flight plan. As I turned to a southerly heading it became clear to me that continued VFR towards sdl was improbable. I called ZAB and picked up an IFR clearance into sedona. ATC issued me a climb to 10700 ft into minimum vectoring altitude. As I continued the climb, out of about 10000 ft I started to pick up a trace of clear ice. At this point I elected to cancel my IFR clearance and descend back into lower altitude (I could see down through broken clouds to good visual ground contact). I turned northeast toward winslow to find that continued VFR flight was improbable. I was left with the situation of lowering clouds, darkening skies and fuel becoming a factor. I picked up a southerly heading and after several mins contacted center for radar vectors into payson (E69). After switching to a different controller, the controller was reluctant to help because of my low altitude and his limited radar coverage in that area. I finally insisted upon 'suggested radar headings to find the airport.' using the intermittent radar returns the controller was able to give me headings to the airport. The airport sits on the south side of a hill and was difficult to see from the direction I was approaching. All's well that ends well -- but -- without ATC's help I hate to think what could have happened. I have flown in colorado, wyoming, utah, montana as well as alaska in my small single engine aircraft. I have flown to numerous points all over the world in jet aircraft but I have never had a more challenging flight than that evening up on the mogollon rim northeast of phoenix. The lesson learned -- the spring time WX may be ok in phx and gup but the WX up on the 'rim' may not. I do not think I broke any rule but I'll never do this again.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C170 PLT RUNS INTO FOUL WX ENRTE GUP TO SDL. PICKS UP IFR CLB AND ICE, DSNDS, CANCELS IFR AND HAS TO GET RADAR VECTORS FOR A DIVERSION TO ALTERNATE AT PAYSON, AZ. SUGGESTS THAT WX BTWN TWO WX RPTING POINTS MAY VARY, SIGNIFICANTLY.

Narrative: I DEPARTED GUP ON A VFR FLT TO SDL AT APPROX PM30 LCL TIME. I PROCEEDED SW TOWARD BETTER WX CONDITIONS THAN THE DIRECT RTE I HAD FILED FOR MY VFR FLT PLAN. AS I TURNED TO A SOUTHERLY HEADING IT BECAME CLR TO ME THAT CONTINUED VFR TOWARDS SDL WAS IMPROBABLE. I CALLED ZAB AND PICKED UP AN IFR CLRNC INTO SEDONA. ATC ISSUED ME A CLB TO 10700 FT INTO MINIMUM VECTORING ALT. AS I CONTINUED THE CLB, OUT OF ABOUT 10000 FT I STARTED TO PICK UP A TRACE OF CLR ICE. AT THIS POINT I ELECTED TO CANCEL MY IFR CLRNC AND DSND BACK INTO LOWER ALT (I COULD SEE DOWN THROUGH BROKEN CLOUDS TO GOOD VISUAL GND CONTACT). I TURNED NE TOWARD WINSLOW TO FIND THAT CONTINUED VFR FLT WAS IMPROBABLE. I WAS LEFT WITH THE SIT OF LOWERING CLOUDS, DARKENING SKIES AND FUEL BECOMING A FACTOR. I PICKED UP A SOUTHERLY HEADING AND AFTER SEVERAL MINS CONTACTED CTR FOR RADAR VECTORS INTO PAYSON (E69). AFTER SWITCHING TO A DIFFERENT CTLR, THE CTLR WAS RELUCTANT TO HELP BECAUSE OF MY LOW ALT AND HIS LIMITED RADAR COVERAGE IN THAT AREA. I FINALLY INSISTED UPON 'SUGGESTED RADAR HEADINGS TO FIND THE ARPT.' USING THE INTERMITTENT RADAR RETURNS THE CTLR WAS ABLE TO GIVE ME HEADINGS TO THE ARPT. THE ARPT SITS ON THE S SIDE OF A HILL AND WAS DIFFICULT TO SEE FROM THE DIRECTION I WAS APCHING. ALL'S WELL THAT ENDS WELL -- BUT -- WITHOUT ATC'S HELP I HATE TO THINK WHAT COULD HAVE HAPPENED. I HAVE FLOWN IN COLORADO, WYOMING, UTAH, MONTANA AS WELL AS ALASKA IN MY SMALL SINGLE ENG ACFT. I HAVE FLOWN TO NUMEROUS POINTS ALL OVER THE WORLD IN JET ACFT BUT I HAVE NEVER HAD A MORE CHALLENGING FLT THAN THAT EVENING UP ON THE MOGOLLON RIM NE OF PHOENIX. THE LESSON LEARNED -- THE SPRING TIME WX MAY BE OK IN PHX AND GUP BUT THE WX UP ON THE 'RIM' MAY NOT. I DO NOT THINK I BROKE ANY RULE BUT I'LL NEVER DO THIS AGAIN.

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.

C170 pilot runs into foul WX en route gup to sdl. Picks up IFR climb and ice, descends, cancels IFR and has to get radar vectors for a diversion to alternate at payson, az. Suggests that WX between two WX reporting points may vary, significantly.