A GA CFI pilot is unable to maintain his altitude due to icing near avl, nc.

Attributes
ACN	470459
Time
Date	200004
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : avl.airport
State Reference	NC
Altitude	msl bound lower : 7000 msl bound upper : 8000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Weather Elements	Ice
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : ztl.artcc
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Navigation In Use	other vortac
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Route In Use	enroute airway : ns.airway
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 13000 flight time type : 500
ASRS Report	470459
Person 2
Affiliation	other
Function	observation : passenger
Qualification	pilot : private
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude inflight encounter : weather non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa other other : pax 2
Resolutory Action	controller : provided flight assist flight crew : exited adverse environment
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Passenger Human Performance Weather ATC Human Performance Aircraft Airspace Structure
Primary Problem	Weather
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Encountered medium icing between 7000 ft and 8000 ft. Unable to climb because of traffic. Had trouble holding altitude (+/-300 ft). Had passenger/pilot talking on radio, making things worse. Had real good help from ATC. Got things under control and went to foothill VOR and got out of icing and into VFR where we got to a lower altitude and ice melted.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A GA CFI PLT IS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN HIS ALT DUE TO ICING NEAR AVL, NC.

Narrative: ENCOUNTERED MEDIUM ICING BTWN 7000 FT AND 8000 FT. UNABLE TO CLB BECAUSE OF TFC. HAD TROUBLE HOLDING ALT (+/-300 FT). HAD PAX/PLT TALKING ON RADIO, MAKING THINGS WORSE. HAD REAL GOOD HELP FROM ATC. GOT THINGS UNDER CTL AND WENT TO FOOTHILL VOR AND GOT OUT OF ICING AND INTO VFR WHERE WE GOT TO A LOWER ALT AND ICE MELTED.

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.