Narrative:

Departed st clair county airport on student training flight. Upon reaching 2300 ft MSL, picked up an IFR clearance from selfridge approach (mtc). My intent was to conduct airwork above the overcast and, as such, I had filed an IFR flight plan to VFR on top. Initial altitude restr was to climb and maintain 6000 ft MSL and then report if not on top by that altitude. At 6000 ft MSL the aircraft had not reached the top of the overcast and I began to notice the formation of rime ice. I immediately advised selfridge approach control that I wanted to descend to VFR conditions and then enter the pattern at phn VFR. All the while I was providing instruction to a primary student. ATC assigned me an altitude of 2300 ft. Upon reaching 2300 ft MSL I noticed the airport and began to descend for the pattern altitude. When descending through 1800 ft MSL, I was queried by mtc approach about my altitude. Because of a high workload situation -- student training, dusk conditions, and the accumulation of a significant amount of ice -- I failed to comply with my altitude restr of 2300 ft MSL. Upon seeing the airport, I continued with other duties in anticipation of a landing rather than remembering I was on an IFR flight plan. I immediately canceled IFR and landed uneventfully. In the future, an increased vigilance should be maintained in order to ensure compliance with assigned altitudes. If necessary, the instructor should fly the airplane, rather than continuing on an instructional flight.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN INSTRUCTOR PLT ALLOWS THE SPI STUDENT PLT TO DSND BELOW THEIR IFR ASSIGNED ALT WHILE ATTEMPTING A VISUAL ON PHN, MI.

Narrative: DEPARTED ST CLAIR COUNTY ARPT ON STUDENT TRAINING FLT. UPON REACHING 2300 FT MSL, PICKED UP AN IFR CLRNC FROM SELFRIDGE APCH (MTC). MY INTENT WAS TO CONDUCT AIRWORK ABOVE THE OVCST AND, AS SUCH, I HAD FILED AN IFR FLT PLAN TO VFR ON TOP. INITIAL ALT RESTR WAS TO CLB AND MAINTAIN 6000 FT MSL AND THEN RPT IF NOT ON TOP BY THAT ALT. AT 6000 FT MSL THE ACFT HAD NOT REACHED THE TOP OF THE OVCST AND I BEGAN TO NOTICE THE FORMATION OF RIME ICE. I IMMEDIATELY ADVISED SELFRIDGE APCH CTL THAT I WANTED TO DSND TO VFR CONDITIONS AND THEN ENTER THE PATTERN AT PHN VFR. ALL THE WHILE I WAS PROVIDING INSTRUCTION TO A PRIMARY STUDENT. ATC ASSIGNED ME AN ALT OF 2300 FT. UPON REACHING 2300 FT MSL I NOTICED THE ARPT AND BEGAN TO DSND FOR THE PATTERN ALT. WHEN DSNDING THROUGH 1800 FT MSL, I WAS QUERIED BY MTC APCH ABOUT MY ALT. BECAUSE OF A HIGH WORKLOAD SIT -- STUDENT TRAINING, DUSK CONDITIONS, AND THE ACCUMULATION OF A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF ICE -- I FAILED TO COMPLY WITH MY ALT RESTR OF 2300 FT MSL. UPON SEEING THE ARPT, I CONTINUED WITH OTHER DUTIES IN ANTICIPATION OF A LNDG RATHER THAN REMEMBERING I WAS ON AN IFR FLT PLAN. I IMMEDIATELY CANCELED IFR AND LANDED UNEVENTFULLY. IN THE FUTURE, AN INCREASED VIGILANCE SHOULD BE MAINTAINED IN ORDER TO ENSURE COMPLIANCE WITH ASSIGNED ALTS. IF NECESSARY, THE INSTRUCTOR SHOULD FLY THE AIRPLANE, RATHER THAN CONTINUING ON AN INSTRUCTIONAL FLT.

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.