Small aircraft pilot encounters ice on IFR flight plan. When cleared for lower, pilot is told he wil...

Attributes
ACN	396640
Time
Date	199803
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : fwa
State Reference	IN
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2400 msl bound upper : 4000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : fwa artcc : czeb
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise other descent other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 600 flight time type : 70
ASRS Report	396640
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : weather
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance controller : provided flight assist other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Weather

Narrative:

On an IFR flight plan from cgf to fwa at 4000 ft we began to pick up ice. There were reports of ice at 8000-10000 ft so it seemed we should descend. The ice forecast was well above our planned flight altitude as well. We asked for lower and were cleared for 3000 ft. About 40 mi from fwa we began to pick up ice again. Again we asked for a lower altitude -- hoping to break out so we could just land. The controller gave us 2400 ft but said we would no longer be on his scope. A few mins later he asked about the ice. We were in and out of the bottoms, more in than out. We told the controller the ice was still there. We had noticed on the en route chart that there was a small airport just off the airway. When the controller cleared us to 2400 ft, he gave us a 10 degree left turn, which seemed like it should put us over the airport. In fact, that was what he had in mind. When we informed him of the persistent ice, he said if we happened to see the airport, we could land there, but he couldn't give us a clearance to it. As we got closer, the controller gave us several headings to put us over the airport. We were breaking in and out of the clouds, occasionally seeing the tower below us. We broke out of the clouds directly over the airport and landed safely. We had picked up about 1/8 - 1/4 inch of mixed ice. We would like to thank the controller for help in what could have been a much worse situation.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA PLT ENCOUNTERS ICE ON IFR FLT PLAN. WHEN CLRED FOR LOWER, PLT IS TOLD HE WILL BE TOO LOW FOR RADAR COVERAGE. CTLR ISSUES A HDG WHICH DIRECTS HIM TOWARD A SMALL ARPT NEAR THE AIRWAY. AS HE DSNDS HE IS IN AND OUT OF CLOUDS BUT HAS SOME GND CONTACT AND BREAKS OUT ABOVE THE FIELD AND LANDS.

Narrative: ON AN IFR FLT PLAN FROM CGF TO FWA AT 4000 FT WE BEGAN TO PICK UP ICE. THERE WERE RPTS OF ICE AT 8000-10000 FT SO IT SEEMED WE SHOULD DSND. THE ICE FORECAST WAS WELL ABOVE OUR PLANNED FLT ALT AS WELL. WE ASKED FOR LOWER AND WERE CLRED FOR 3000 FT. ABOUT 40 MI FROM FWA WE BEGAN TO PICK UP ICE AGAIN. AGAIN WE ASKED FOR A LOWER ALT -- HOPING TO BREAK OUT SO WE COULD JUST LAND. THE CTLR GAVE US 2400 FT BUT SAID WE WOULD NO LONGER BE ON HIS SCOPE. A FEW MINS LATER HE ASKED ABOUT THE ICE. WE WERE IN AND OUT OF THE BOTTOMS, MORE IN THAN OUT. WE TOLD THE CTLR THE ICE WAS STILL THERE. WE HAD NOTICED ON THE ENRTE CHART THAT THERE WAS A SMALL ARPT JUST OFF THE AIRWAY. WHEN THE CTLR CLRED US TO 2400 FT, HE GAVE US A 10 DEG L TURN, WHICH SEEMED LIKE IT SHOULD PUT US OVER THE ARPT. IN FACT, THAT WAS WHAT HE HAD IN MIND. WHEN WE INFORMED HIM OF THE PERSISTENT ICE, HE SAID IF WE HAPPENED TO SEE THE ARPT, WE COULD LAND THERE, BUT HE COULDN'T GIVE US A CLRNC TO IT. AS WE GOT CLOSER, THE CTLR GAVE US SEVERAL HDGS TO PUT US OVER THE ARPT. WE WERE BREAKING IN AND OUT OF THE CLOUDS, OCCASIONALLY SEEING THE TWR BELOW US. WE BROKE OUT OF THE CLOUDS DIRECTLY OVER THE ARPT AND LANDED SAFELY. WE HAD PICKED UP ABOUT 1/8 - 1/4 INCH OF MIXED ICE. WE WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE CTLR FOR HELP IN WHAT COULD HAVE BEEN A MUCH WORSE 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.