BE35 pilot encounters severe icing conditions on an IFR plan for cys to ogd and was refused a lower ...

Attributes
ACN	599011
Time
Date	200311
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : zdv.artcc
State Reference	CO
Altitude	msl bound lower : 10000 msl bound upper : 13000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Weather Elements	Ice
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zdv.artcc
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Bonanza 35
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise : level cruise : enroute altitude change
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 115 flight time total : 1054 flight time type : 538
ASRS Report	599011
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	other personnel
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical inflight encounter : weather non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	atc equipment other atc equipment : radar/mode c other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued advisory flight crew : diverted to another airport flight crew : exited adverse environment
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance FAA Aircraft ATC Human Performance ATC Facility Weather
Primary Problem	Weather

Narrative:

I was in route from cheyenne to ogden after a fuel stop in cheyenne. I obtained a briefing from cheyenne FSS, filed an IFR flight plan, and departed cheyenne. The flight was filed for 10000 ft direct and initially assigned. Later, I was given heading and altitude changes by denver center. These changes directed me into IMC, where I encountered unusually strong and unforecasted head winds, and accumulation of rime ice. I repeatedly requested a lower altitude from ATC to avoid the ice accumulation, but was denied. I then reported to ATC that the aircraft would no longer maintain altitude, and again requested a lower altitude. ATC answered that a lower assigned altitude was not possible, but I could descend in an emergency situation. I responded that I would declare an emergency and descend. I changed my heading direct to ZZZ and started a descent. I broke out of IMC at 11000 ft, at ZZZ, 4500 ft AGL, with ZZZ in sight. I proceeded to ZZZ and landed. After thinking about it, I had a mind set to proceed to my destination. I had other options that I didn't think of at the time. I could have asked for a heading change more northwest which would have put me into an area of lower MEA, then a lower altitude could have been assigned. I could have turned north, or turned around and taken advantage of the strong westerly winds, rerouting to rawlins, or laramie. Contributing factors for my decisions were my limited, self taught, mountain flying experience, all VFR (about 25 hours), the unforecasted and unusually strong head winds (at times 75 to 95 KTS), and winter conditions.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: BE35 PLT ENCOUNTERS SEVERE ICING CONDITIONS ON AN IFR PLAN FOR CYS TO OGD AND WAS REFUSED A LOWER ALTITUDE BY ZDV CENTER EVEN WHEN THE PLT RPTED THE ACFT WOULD NO LONGER MAINTAIN ALTITUDE.

Narrative: I WAS IN RTE FROM CHEYENNE TO OGDEN AFTER A FUEL STOP IN CHEYENNE. I OBTAINED A BRIEFING FROM CHEYENNE FSS, FILED AN IFR FLT PLAN, AND DEPARTED CHEYENNE. THE FLT WAS FILED FOR 10000 FT DIRECT AND INITIALLY ASSIGNED. LATER, I WAS GIVEN HEADING AND ALTITUDE CHANGES BY DENVER CENTER. THESE CHANGES DIRECTED ME INTO IMC, WHERE I ENCOUNTERED UNUSUALLY STRONG AND UNFORECASTED HEAD WINDS, AND ACCUMULATION OF RIME ICE. I REPEATEDLY REQUESTED A LOWER ALTITUDE FROM ATC TO AVOID THE ICE ACCUMULATION, BUT WAS DENIED. I THEN RPTED TO ATC THAT THE ACFT WOULD NO LONGER MAINTAIN ALTITUDE, AND AGAIN REQUESTED A LOWER ALTITUDE. ATC ANSWERED THAT A LOWER ASSIGNED ALTITUDE WAS NOT POSSIBLE, BUT I COULD DESCEND IN AN EMER SIT. I RESPONDED THAT I WOULD DECLARE AN EMER AND DESCEND. I CHANGED MY HEADING DIRECT TO ZZZ AND STARTED A DESCENT. I BROKE OUT OF IMC AT 11000 FT, AT ZZZ, 4500 FT AGL, WITH ZZZ IN SIGHT. I PROCEEDED TO ZZZ AND LANDED. AFTER THINKING ABOUT IT, I HAD A MIND SET TO PROCEED TO MY DEST. I HAD OTHER OPTIONS THAT I DIDN'T THINK OF AT THE TIME. I COULD HAVE ASKED FOR A HEADING CHANGE MORE NW WHICH WOULD HAVE PUT ME INTO AN AREA OF LOWER MEA, THEN A LOWER ALT COULD HAVE BEEN ASSIGNED. I COULD HAVE TURNED N, OR TURNED AROUND AND TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF THE STRONG WESTERLY WINDS, REROUTING TO RAWLINS, OR LARAMIE. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS FOR MY DECISIONS WERE MY LIMITED, SELF TAUGHT, MOUNTAIN FLYING EXPERIENCE, ALL VFR (ABOUT 25 HRS), THE UNFORECASTED AND UNUSUALLY STRONG HEAD WINDS (AT TIMES 75 TO 95 KTS), AND WINTER CONDITIONS.

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.

BE35 pilot encounters severe icing conditions on an IFR plan for cys to ogd and was refused a lower altitude by ZDV center even when the pilot reported the aircraft would no longer maintain altitude.