Narrative:

Cruising 9000 ft on IFR plan, ran into thin clouds over the mountains. I could see the sun above, so requested 11000 ft. Tri approach cleared to 10000 ft, but trouble on computer link to atl caused delay to 11000 ft. Got 11000 ft from atl and requested 12000 ft or 13000 ft since we were starting to frost up. At +/-12000 ft, determined that we would not top out and called atl for a 180 degree turn back to 9000 ft. (Another pilot heard our request to 12000/13000 ft and said tops were 17000 ft.) ZTL controller said I was on 180 degree heading and what heading did I want. Replied 360 degrees. I immediately initiated turn to 360 degrees and descent to 9000 ft back to clear air and no ice. During descent approaching 9000 ft, atl called and said I only had clearance to 10000 ft. I replied that I requested 360 degrees to 9000 ft and did not hear clearance only to 10000 ft. After return to tri approach, received clearance to FSS to rerte. Rerted after new WX to east toward raleigh, then southwest to sav. Tri asked me to contact atl upon landing, no problem, but they had some questions. I called mr X and explained the situation. Mr X was cordial and I asked if he was a pilot (affirmative), then asked if controller was a pilot (no). Had mr X experienced ice? Yes! Mr X said he understood our decision and would relay to the controller. I gave my phone for future questions. Mr X didn't think there was a problem. Several yrs ago, I was vectored into clouds and ice in the same area. Ice formed so rapidly we lost 500 ft at full power while turning back to clear air. This makes a lasting impression!

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF A CPR C210 CAN SEE THE SUN ABOVE THE CLOUDS HE IS UNDER AND REQUESTS HIGHER ALT. DURING CLB HE REALIZES HE CANNOT CLB ABOVE THE WX AND BEGINS TAKING ON ICE. HE REQUESTS TURN BACK AND IS SO CLRED. HE DSNDS TO PREVIOUS ALT AND CTLR INDICATES HE WAS NOT CLRED TO THAT ALT.

Narrative: CRUISING 9000 FT ON IFR PLAN, RAN INTO THIN CLOUDS OVER THE MOUNTAINS. I COULD SEE THE SUN ABOVE, SO REQUESTED 11000 FT. TRI APCH CLRED TO 10000 FT, BUT TROUBLE ON COMPUTER LINK TO ATL CAUSED DELAY TO 11000 FT. GOT 11000 FT FROM ATL AND REQUESTED 12000 FT OR 13000 FT SINCE WE WERE STARTING TO FROST UP. AT +/-12000 FT, DETERMINED THAT WE WOULD NOT TOP OUT AND CALLED ATL FOR A 180 DEG TURN BACK TO 9000 FT. (ANOTHER PLT HEARD OUR REQUEST TO 12000/13000 FT AND SAID TOPS WERE 17000 FT.) ZTL CTLR SAID I WAS ON 180 DEG HDG AND WHAT HDG DID I WANT. REPLIED 360 DEGS. I IMMEDIATELY INITIATED TURN TO 360 DEGS AND DSCNT TO 9000 FT BACK TO CLR AIR AND NO ICE. DURING DSCNT APCHING 9000 FT, ATL CALLED AND SAID I ONLY HAD CLRNC TO 10000 FT. I REPLIED THAT I REQUESTED 360 DEGS TO 9000 FT AND DID NOT HEAR CLRNC ONLY TO 10000 FT. AFTER RETURN TO TRI APCH, RECEIVED CLRNC TO FSS TO RERTE. RERTED AFTER NEW WX TO E TOWARD RALEIGH, THEN SW TO SAV. TRI ASKED ME TO CONTACT ATL UPON LNDG, NO PROB, BUT THEY HAD SOME QUESTIONS. I CALLED MR X AND EXPLAINED THE SIT. MR X WAS CORDIAL AND I ASKED IF HE WAS A PLT (AFFIRMATIVE), THEN ASKED IF CTLR WAS A PLT (NO). HAD MR X EXPERIENCED ICE? YES! MR X SAID HE UNDERSTOOD OUR DECISION AND WOULD RELAY TO THE CTLR. I GAVE MY PHONE FOR FUTURE QUESTIONS. MR X DIDN'T THINK THERE WAS A PROB. SEVERAL YRS AGO, I WAS VECTORED INTO CLOUDS AND ICE IN THE SAME AREA. ICE FORMED SO RAPIDLY WE LOST 500 FT AT FULL PWR WHILE TURNING BACK TO CLR AIR. THIS MAKES A LASTING IMPRESSION!

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.