A return land by a BE24 sierra CFI when he ran into forecast icing conditions at 4000 ft 20 west of ...

Attributes
ACN	580065
Time
Date	200304
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : bvi.airport
State Reference	PA
Altitude	msl single value : 4000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Weather Elements	Ice Rain
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : pit.tracon
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Sierra 24
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	departure : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 41 flight time total : 1763 flight time type : 16
ASRS Report	580065
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : departure
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical inflight encounter : weather inflight encounter other non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : diverted to another airport flight crew : exited adverse environment other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Environmental Factor Flight Crew Human Performance Weather
Primary Problem	Weather

Narrative:

I departed IFR from bvi expecting to be able to avoid forecasted icing conditions by remaining clear of clouds and precipitation. With an airmet for icing from 4000-12000 ft for my route of flight, I believed I could avoid ice by staying at 4000 ft until I got to warmer air. Upon climb out, I noticed that the OAT was -5 degrees celsius at 4000 ft. I had expected it to be above freezing at that level. Upon entering IMC conditions, I started to pick up light mixed icing. Pittsburgh departure advised me that the tops were 9000 ft. I immediately asked to return to bvi and a descent to 3000 ft. At 3000 ft, the ice melted. I returned to bvi with no further ice encounters. Had I continued the flight, I could have had serious performance problems. Flight in or close to areas of forecast icing conditions can be very difficult in unprotected aircraft. I believe my 'optimistic' outlook at the airmet for icing made me believe the flight would be uneventful. Pilots should look at all forecasts with a skeptical view and determine what we will do when the WX is worse than forecast.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A RETURN LAND BY A BE24 SIERRA CFI WHEN HE RAN INTO FORECAST ICING CONDITIONS AT 4000 FT 20 W OF BVI, PA.

Narrative: I DEPARTED IFR FROM BVI EXPECTING TO BE ABLE TO AVOID FORECASTED ICING CONDITIONS BY REMAINING CLR OF CLOUDS AND PRECIP. WITH AN AIRMET FOR ICING FROM 4000-12000 FT FOR MY RTE OF FLT, I BELIEVED I COULD AVOID ICE BY STAYING AT 4000 FT UNTIL I GOT TO WARMER AIR. UPON CLBOUT, I NOTICED THAT THE OAT WAS -5 DEGS CELSIUS AT 4000 FT. I HAD EXPECTED IT TO BE ABOVE FREEZING AT THAT LEVEL. UPON ENTERING IMC CONDITIONS, I STARTED TO PICK UP LIGHT MIXED ICING. PITTSBURGH DEP ADVISED ME THAT THE TOPS WERE 9000 FT. I IMMEDIATELY ASKED TO RETURN TO BVI AND A DSCNT TO 3000 FT. AT 3000 FT, THE ICE MELTED. I RETURNED TO BVI WITH NO FURTHER ICE ENCOUNTERS. HAD I CONTINUED THE FLT, I COULD HAVE HAD SERIOUS PERFORMANCE PROBS. FLT IN OR CLOSE TO AREAS OF FORECAST ICING CONDITIONS CAN BE VERY DIFFICULT IN UNPROTECTED ACFT. I BELIEVE MY 'OPTIMISTIC' OUTLOOK AT THE AIRMET FOR ICING MADE ME BELIEVE THE FLT WOULD BE UNEVENTFUL. PLTS SHOULD LOOK AT ALL FORECASTS WITH A SKEPTICAL VIEW AND DETERMINE WHAT WE WILL DO WHEN THE WX IS WORSE THAN FORECAST.

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.

A return land by a BE24 sierra CFI when he ran into forecast icing conditions at 4000 ft 20 west of bvi, PA.