PA28 pilot encounters icing conditions and has difficulties landing due to ice on the windscreen.

Attributes
ACN	723957
Time
Date	200701
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : cak.tracon
State Reference	OH
Altitude	msl single value : 3000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Weather Elements	Ice Snow
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : cak.tracon
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	PA-28 Cherokee/Archer II/Dakota/Pillan/Warrior
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	arrival : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 15 flight time total : 500 flight time type : 75
ASRS Report	723957
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : weather non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : executed missed approach flight crew : landed in emergency condition none taken : detected after the fact
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Weather
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

We were returning from ZZZ. We had flown down on an IFR flight plan and had not encountered any icing despite being in the clouds. We did not obtain a full WX briefing prior to departing for our home airport. On the return flight; we began to accrete trace icing on the wings and windscreen. We were not able to descend any lower as we were at the minimum altitude in the area. Shortly; the ice began to engulf more of the windscreen. We flew the GPS approach into wadsworth; but despite breaking out; the ice did not sublimate from the windscreen. We had the defroster on high; but it was simply not putting out sufficient warmth to cause the ice to melt. We went missed; contacted akron; and received vectors for the ILS. We flew the ILS to minimums and landed by peering out the side window and the bottom corner of the front of the windscreen. We should have obtained a full WX briefing before leaving for home and verified that there were no reports of icing in the area. We should not have assumed that the WX on the way down would be the same on the way back. We also need to have the defroster examined to make sure that it does not need repairs.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PA28 PLT ENCOUNTERS ICING CONDITIONS AND HAS DIFFICULTIES LNDG DUE TO ICE ON THE WINDSCREEN.

Narrative: WE WERE RETURNING FROM ZZZ. WE HAD FLOWN DOWN ON AN IFR FLT PLAN AND HAD NOT ENCOUNTERED ANY ICING DESPITE BEING IN THE CLOUDS. WE DID NOT OBTAIN A FULL WX BRIEFING PRIOR TO DEPARTING FOR OUR HOME ARPT. ON THE RETURN FLT; WE BEGAN TO ACCRETE TRACE ICING ON THE WINGS AND WINDSCREEN. WE WERE NOT ABLE TO DSND ANY LOWER AS WE WERE AT THE MINIMUM ALT IN THE AREA. SHORTLY; THE ICE BEGAN TO ENGULF MORE OF THE WINDSCREEN. WE FLEW THE GPS APCH INTO WADSWORTH; BUT DESPITE BREAKING OUT; THE ICE DID NOT SUBLIMATE FROM THE WINDSCREEN. WE HAD THE DEFROSTER ON HIGH; BUT IT WAS SIMPLY NOT PUTTING OUT SUFFICIENT WARMTH TO CAUSE THE ICE TO MELT. WE WENT MISSED; CONTACTED AKRON; AND RECEIVED VECTORS FOR THE ILS. WE FLEW THE ILS TO MINIMUMS AND LANDED BY PEERING OUT THE SIDE WINDOW AND THE BOTTOM CORNER OF THE FRONT OF THE WINDSCREEN. WE SHOULD HAVE OBTAINED A FULL WX BRIEFING BEFORE LEAVING FOR HOME AND VERIFIED THAT THERE WERE NO RPTS OF ICING IN THE AREA. WE SHOULD NOT HAVE ASSUMED THAT THE WX ON THE WAY DOWN WOULD BE THE SAME ON THE WAY BACK. WE ALSO NEED TO HAVE THE DEFROSTER EXAMINED TO MAKE SURE THAT IT DOES NOT NEED REPAIRS.

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.