Narrative:

On mar/sat/05; I got a WX briefing from duats.communication before departing geu on a VFR flight plan to vel. Arrived at vel at XA15 to refuel and eat lunch before continuing on to bil. I departed vel on a VFR flight plan at XC30 without getting an updated WX briefing. Went direct ocs VOR at 11500 ft MSL on V391. From ocs went direct riw VOR at 10500 ft MSL. From riw; went to boy VOR on V85. About 1-2 mins after passing riw; I requested IFR from ZLC. Climbed to 12000 ft MSL as told by center. Almost immediately after entering clouds; started accumulating mixed ice. I leveled off at 12000 ft MSL hoping to get out of the icing. Continued to accumulate ice; requested and received clearance to descend to 11000 ft MSL; trying to get out of ice. By now; I am about 12-15 NM south of boy VOR. The ice is still accumulating and I am experiencing moderate to severe turbulence. At this point I did not feel comfortable continuing. Requested to center that I do 180 degree turn and head back to riw. Center approved and allowed me to descend 9600 ft MSL. About 1-2 mins after turning back; I had visual with ground. I descended to 6800 ft MSL; canceled IFR; and flew direct to riw with approximately 1/2 - 3 mi visibility. Got visual with riw airport; told center that I had visual with riw. Center told me wind was 085 degrees at 18 KTS gusting to 33 KTS and to maintain his frequency. Center also informed me that I was the only one in the pattern and to contact him after landing. Center contacted the FBO and they were expecting me. I monitored riw CTAF 122.8 and landed on runway 28. I contacted center when I was on the ground and spent the night in riverton; wy. Looking back on the incident; I realize that I should have gotten an updated WX briefing before departing vel. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter stated that the rate of ice accumulation surprised him. He felt good about turning back even though he wanted to continue and his dad was proud of him for doing so.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN IFR C172 PLT ENCOUNTERED MODERATE ICING AT 12000 FT AND REQUESTED A TURN BACK WITH A DSCNT AND DIVERSION TO AN ALTERNATE ARPT.

Narrative: ON MAR/SAT/05; I GOT A WX BRIEFING FROM DUATS.COM BEFORE DEPARTING GEU ON A VFR FLT PLAN TO VEL. ARRIVED AT VEL AT XA15 TO REFUEL AND EAT LUNCH BEFORE CONTINUING ON TO BIL. I DEPARTED VEL ON A VFR FLT PLAN AT XC30 WITHOUT GETTING AN UPDATED WX BRIEFING. WENT DIRECT OCS VOR AT 11500 FT MSL ON V391. FROM OCS WENT DIRECT RIW VOR AT 10500 FT MSL. FROM RIW; WENT TO BOY VOR ON V85. ABOUT 1-2 MINS AFTER PASSING RIW; I REQUESTED IFR FROM ZLC. CLBED TO 12000 FT MSL AS TOLD BY CTR. ALMOST IMMEDIATELY AFTER ENTERING CLOUDS; STARTED ACCUMULATING MIXED ICE. I LEVELED OFF AT 12000 FT MSL HOPING TO GET OUT OF THE ICING. CONTINUED TO ACCUMULATE ICE; REQUESTED AND RECEIVED CLRNC TO DSND TO 11000 FT MSL; TRYING TO GET OUT OF ICE. BY NOW; I AM ABOUT 12-15 NM S OF BOY VOR. THE ICE IS STILL ACCUMULATING AND I AM EXPERIENCING MODERATE TO SEVERE TURB. AT THIS POINT I DID NOT FEEL COMFORTABLE CONTINUING. REQUESTED TO CTR THAT I DO 180 DEG TURN AND HEAD BACK TO RIW. CTR APPROVED AND ALLOWED ME TO DSND 9600 FT MSL. ABOUT 1-2 MINS AFTER TURNING BACK; I HAD VISUAL WITH GND. I DSNDED TO 6800 FT MSL; CANCELED IFR; AND FLEW DIRECT TO RIW WITH APPROX 1/2 - 3 MI VISIBILITY. GOT VISUAL WITH RIW ARPT; TOLD CTR THAT I HAD VISUAL WITH RIW. CTR TOLD ME WIND WAS 085 DEGS AT 18 KTS GUSTING TO 33 KTS AND TO MAINTAIN HIS FREQ. CTR ALSO INFORMED ME THAT I WAS THE ONLY ONE IN THE PATTERN AND TO CONTACT HIM AFTER LNDG. CTR CONTACTED THE FBO AND THEY WERE EXPECTING ME. I MONITORED RIW CTAF 122.8 AND LANDED ON RWY 28. I CONTACTED CTR WHEN I WAS ON THE GND AND SPENT THE NIGHT IN RIVERTON; WY. LOOKING BACK ON THE INCIDENT; I REALIZE THAT I SHOULD HAVE GOTTEN AN UPDATED WX BRIEFING BEFORE DEPARTING VEL. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR STATED THAT THE RATE OF ICE ACCUMULATION SURPRISED HIM. HE FELT GOOD ABOUT TURNING BACK EVEN THOUGH HE WANTED TO CONTINUE AND HIS DAD WAS PROUD OF HIM FOR DOING SO.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.