A VFR BE55 pilot at 17500 ft enters clouds and encounters icing.

Attributes
ACN	670769
Time
Date	200509
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : sln.airport
State Reference	KS
Altitude	msl bound lower : 17500 msl bound upper : 19000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zkc.artcc
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Baron 55/Cochise
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise : level cruise : enroute altitude change
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine pilot : atp pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 110 flight time total : 6300 flight time type : 1800
ASRS Report	670769
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : vfr in imc inflight encounter : weather non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Weather Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

I was VFR on top of an overcast layer at 17500 ft MSL. I had been comfortably far above the tops; but rising cloud tops made continued VFR not possible. I contacted ZKC (cold call; no flight plan on file) and requested FL190 to stay in the clear air. These was a delay getting the clearance into class a airspace and I entered cloud while awaiting clearance. Ice rapidly built and I was unable to climb to FL190 when cleared. I requested and received descent to 11000 ft MSL and the ice quickly disappeared. There was no difficulty handling the aircraft; but it was not a good job of airmanship to get into the problem in the first place. I was too slow to request IFR clearance to FL190 and had no way out when it took more time than anticipated. It was a mistake to be too confident of clearing the cloud tops in time. More caution and better planning will avoid this situation in the future.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A VFR BE55 PLT AT 17500 FT ENTERS CLOUDS AND ENCOUNTERS ICING.

Narrative: I WAS VFR ON TOP OF AN OVERCAST LAYER AT 17500 FT MSL. I HAD BEEN COMFORTABLY FAR ABOVE THE TOPS; BUT RISING CLOUD TOPS MADE CONTINUED VFR NOT POSSIBLE. I CONTACTED ZKC (COLD CALL; NO FLT PLAN ON FILE) AND REQUESTED FL190 TO STAY IN THE CLR AIR. THESE WAS A DELAY GETTING THE CLRNC INTO CLASS A AIRSPACE AND I ENTERED CLOUD WHILE AWAITING CLRNC. ICE RAPIDLY BUILT AND I WAS UNABLE TO CLB TO FL190 WHEN CLRED. I REQUESTED AND RECEIVED DSCNT TO 11000 FT MSL AND THE ICE QUICKLY DISAPPEARED. THERE WAS NO DIFFICULTY HANDLING THE ACFT; BUT IT WAS NOT A GOOD JOB OF AIRMANSHIP TO GET INTO THE PROB IN THE FIRST PLACE. I WAS TOO SLOW TO REQUEST IFR CLRNC TO FL190 AND HAD NO WAY OUT WHEN IT TOOK MORE TIME THAN ANTICIPATED. IT WAS A MISTAKE TO BE TOO CONFIDENT OF CLRING THE CLOUD TOPS IN TIME. MORE CAUTION AND BETTER PLANNING WILL AVOID THIS SIT IN THE FUTURE.

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.