A BE55 CFI pilot encounters severe icing when departing phn, mi. Return land.

Attributes
ACN	457893
Time
Date	199912
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : phn.airport
State Reference	MI
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2000 msl bound upper : 3000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Weather Elements	Ice Rain
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : mdw.tower
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Baron 55/Cochise
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Navigation In Use	other
Route In Use	departure : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : cfi pilot : multi engine
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 50 flight time total : 700 flight time type : 300
ASRS Report	457893
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude inflight encounter : weather non adherence : published procedure non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : provided flight assist flight crew : diverted to another airport flight crew : exited adverse environment flight crew : landed in emergency condition
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Weather Flight Crew Human Performance Aircraft
Primary Problem	Weather
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Took off, contacted selfridge approach, picked up IFR clearance prior to reaching 2000 ft. Given vector and cleared to cruising altitude of 3000 ft. At 2500 ft, I encountered freezing rain, all anti-ice equipment (windshield heat, defrost, pitot heat, alcohol propellers and windscreen, boots) activated on climb out (less than 2000 ft). Windscreen obscured by ice, all surfaces ice covered. I notified approach that I 'had ice everywhere' and that I was 'going back.' I began to descend out of IMC and turned toward phn. I asked for a vector to return to phn, and was given 090 degrees. I descended to 1900 ft MSL. The controller did not give any additional headings or altitude to me at this time. I had turned and descended on my own without additional clrncs. I also had not declared an emergency. I must admit that I was somewhat flustered at 1) being in freezing rain and 2) being essentially in VMC and having the windscreen still obscured. I was too busy to stop my instrument scan to punch in phn to return via GPS. At that point, the controller instructed me to climb to 2300 ft for vectors for the ILS. I made visual contact with the runway as the ice began to clear from the windscreen. I was on a 3-4 mi base leg for runway 4 at phn. I landed without further incident.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A BE55 CFI PLT ENCOUNTERS SEVERE ICING WHEN DEPARTING PHN, MI. RETURN LAND.

Narrative: TOOK OFF, CONTACTED SELFRIDGE APCH, PICKED UP IFR CLRNC PRIOR TO REACHING 2000 FT. GIVEN VECTOR AND CLRED TO CRUISING ALT OF 3000 FT. AT 2500 FT, I ENCOUNTERED FREEZING RAIN, ALL ANTI-ICE EQUIP (WINDSHIELD HEAT, DEFROST, PITOT HEAT, ALCOHOL PROPS AND WINDSCREEN, BOOTS) ACTIVATED ON CLBOUT (LESS THAN 2000 FT). WINDSCREEN OBSCURED BY ICE, ALL SURFACES ICE COVERED. I NOTIFIED APCH THAT I 'HAD ICE EVERYWHERE' AND THAT I WAS 'GOING BACK.' I BEGAN TO DSND OUT OF IMC AND TURNED TOWARD PHN. I ASKED FOR A VECTOR TO RETURN TO PHN, AND WAS GIVEN 090 DEGS. I DSNDED TO 1900 FT MSL. THE CTLR DID NOT GIVE ANY ADDITIONAL HDGS OR ALT TO ME AT THIS TIME. I HAD TURNED AND DSNDED ON MY OWN WITHOUT ADDITIONAL CLRNCS. I ALSO HAD NOT DECLARED AN EMER. I MUST ADMIT THAT I WAS SOMEWHAT FLUSTERED AT 1) BEING IN FREEZING RAIN AND 2) BEING ESSENTIALLY IN VMC AND HAVING THE WINDSCREEN STILL OBSCURED. I WAS TOO BUSY TO STOP MY INST SCAN TO PUNCH IN PHN TO RETURN VIA GPS. AT THAT POINT, THE CTLR INSTRUCTED ME TO CLB TO 2300 FT FOR VECTORS FOR THE ILS. I MADE VISUAL CONTACT WITH THE RWY AS THE ICE BEGAN TO CLR FROM THE WINDSCREEN. I WAS ON A 3-4 MI BASE LEG FOR RWY 4 AT PHN. I LANDED WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT.

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.