Narrative:

I received a WX briefing, which indicated the freezing level to be between 4000-6000 ft MSL. Ceilings were generally 4100 ft. Additionally, just before leaving the FBO, I met 2 pilots who had just arrived from north carolina. They confirmed the freezing level report. I filed IFR at 4000 ft, the route to be direct bvt direct alb direct bwz direct teb. The MEA along the route is 4000 ft except for a short distance just north of alb. I felt that once in the alb area, past the worse of the WX, I could either cancel IFR, or request a routing to cam, then ing to keep out of the icing conditions. The ceilings south of alb were predicted to be higher, with teb to be 4100 ft scattered. After departure, I maintained 4000 ft until reaching the plattsburg area, then climbed and maintained 7000 ft. I soon encountered rain, freezing rain and both clear and rime ice. I called ZBW to inform them of the conditions and requesting a more easterly heading and lower altitude. Very soon afterward, I lost communication with ZBW. Fortunately, an air carrier flight was able to relay between ZBW and myself. We were given a heading of 120 degrees and a descent to 5500 ft. At 5500 ft we were still in precipitation, freezing rain and icing. With the help of air carrier and then another commercial flight, we were able to communicate with ZBW. Upon reaching 4500 ft we started to shed the ice and at 4000 ft we were below the ceiling and able to communicate clearly with ZBW and then alb approach. The rest of the flight was uneventful. The problem arose when I was issued the clearance to maintain 7000 ft. I know that the preferred rtes through the eastern corridors are rigid and it never entered my mind to refuse the routing. I thought about canceling the IFR and going VFR, but I thought that with IFR, I would already be in the system in case of need. An additional factor was that I had 'advised customs' in the remarks section of the IFR flight plan and I didn't know what would happen if I canceled IFR. After thinking about this flight, I believe that I should have refused the clearance, and asked for my original flight plan, where the MEA's were at 4000 ft. In hindsight, I believe that the traffic control system is not as sensitive as it could be to the problems of light aircraft in potential icing conditions. Light aircraft should not be routed into what the controllers know, or should know, are potentially dangerous conditions. In 20 yrs of flying, I have never refused a clearance, but I think that I shall in the future if need be.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A C210 FLEW INTO KNOWN ICING CONDITIONS ENRTE TO TEB.

Narrative: I RECEIVED A WX BRIEFING, WHICH INDICATED THE FREEZING LEVEL TO BE BTWN 4000-6000 FT MSL. CEILINGS WERE GENERALLY 4100 FT. ADDITIONALLY, JUST BEFORE LEAVING THE FBO, I MET 2 PLTS WHO HAD JUST ARRIVED FROM NORTH CAROLINA. THEY CONFIRMED THE FREEZING LEVEL RPT. I FILED IFR AT 4000 FT, THE RTE TO BE DIRECT BVT DIRECT ALB DIRECT BWZ DIRECT TEB. THE MEA ALONG THE RTE IS 4000 FT EXCEPT FOR A SHORT DISTANCE JUST N OF ALB. I FELT THAT ONCE IN THE ALB AREA, PAST THE WORSE OF THE WX, I COULD EITHER CANCEL IFR, OR REQUEST A ROUTING TO CAM, THEN ING TO KEEP OUT OF THE ICING CONDITIONS. THE CEILINGS S OF ALB WERE PREDICTED TO BE HIGHER, WITH TEB TO BE 4100 FT SCATTERED. AFTER DEP, I MAINTAINED 4000 FT UNTIL REACHING THE PLATTSBURG AREA, THEN CLBED AND MAINTAINED 7000 FT. I SOON ENCOUNTERED RAIN, FREEZING RAIN AND BOTH CLR AND RIME ICE. I CALLED ZBW TO INFORM THEM OF THE CONDITIONS AND REQUESTING A MORE EASTERLY HDG AND LOWER ALT. VERY SOON AFTERWARD, I LOST COM WITH ZBW. FORTUNATELY, AN ACR FLT WAS ABLE TO RELAY BTWN ZBW AND MYSELF. WE WERE GIVEN A HDG OF 120 DEGS AND A DSCNT TO 5500 FT. AT 5500 FT WE WERE STILL IN PRECIP, FREEZING RAIN AND ICING. WITH THE HELP OF ACR AND THEN ANOTHER COMMERCIAL FLT, WE WERE ABLE TO COMMUNICATE WITH ZBW. UPON REACHING 4500 FT WE STARTED TO SHED THE ICE AND AT 4000 FT WE WERE BELOW THE CEILING AND ABLE TO COMMUNICATE CLRLY WITH ZBW AND THEN ALB APCH. THE REST OF THE FLT WAS UNEVENTFUL. THE PROB AROSE WHEN I WAS ISSUED THE CLRNC TO MAINTAIN 7000 FT. I KNOW THAT THE PREFERRED RTES THROUGH THE EASTERN CORRIDORS ARE RIGID AND IT NEVER ENTERED MY MIND TO REFUSE THE ROUTING. I THOUGHT ABOUT CANCELING THE IFR AND GOING VFR, BUT I THOUGHT THAT WITH IFR, I WOULD ALREADY BE IN THE SYS IN CASE OF NEED. AN ADDITIONAL FACTOR WAS THAT I HAD 'ADVISED CUSTOMS' IN THE REMARKS SECTION OF THE IFR FLT PLAN AND I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF I CANCELED IFR. AFTER THINKING ABOUT THIS FLT, I BELIEVE THAT I SHOULD HAVE REFUSED THE CLRNC, AND ASKED FOR MY ORIGINAL FLT PLAN, WHERE THE MEA'S WERE AT 4000 FT. IN HINDSIGHT, I BELIEVE THAT THE TFC CTL SYS IS NOT AS SENSITIVE AS IT COULD BE TO THE PROBS OF LIGHT ACFT IN POTENTIAL ICING CONDITIONS. LIGHT ACFT SHOULD NOT BE ROUTED INTO WHAT THE CTLRS KNOW, OR SHOULD KNOW, ARE POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS CONDITIONS. IN 20 YRS OF FLYING, I HAVE NEVER REFUSED A CLRNC, BUT I THINK THAT I SHALL IN THE FUTURE IF NEED BE.

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.