Narrative:

I was in an eclipse 500. We were tracking outbound on the departure from ZZZ at FL280. The other pilot was flying. The aircraft is not certified for flight into known icing and we were approaching a buildup that we felt may contain ice. I advised ATC that we would need to deviate and we made slight turn to the south to avoid the buildup deviating about 1/2 DOT from the radial and immediately rejoined the departure. At 60 to 70 miles from ZZZ we were approaching another line of weather that we would not be able to navigate around and the pilot requested a turn to the south to avoid potential icing conditions. The center controller seemed to be unsure of what he was requesting so he explained again that we would like to turn to the south and continue on that heading for a while before returning to ZZZ. He turned to a heading of 180 and we continued on that heading for about 10 miles and requested a turn back to ZZZ. The controller notified us that we had made both of the prior turns without receiving clearance to do so and then issued us a clearance to return to ZZZ. Both the other pilot and myself felt that staying clear of the potential icing conditions was our first priority for the continued safety of the flight; however in the future I will ensure that ATC fully understands what is being requested and why and that proper clearance has been received prior to deviating.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLT CREW OF EA50 ALTER COURSE TO AVOID ICING CONDITIONS AT FL280 WITHOUT CLRNC.

Narrative: I WAS IN AN ECLIPSE 500. WE WERE TRACKING OUTBOUND ON THE DEPARTURE FROM ZZZ AT FL280. THE OTHER PILOT WAS FLYING. THE AIRCRAFT IS NOT CERTIFIED FOR FLIGHT INTO KNOWN ICING AND WE WERE APPROACHING A BUILDUP THAT WE FELT MAY CONTAIN ICE. I ADVISED ATC THAT WE WOULD NEED TO DEVIATE AND WE MADE SLIGHT TURN TO THE SOUTH TO AVOID THE BUILDUP DEVIATING ABOUT 1/2 DOT FROM THE RADIAL AND IMMEDIATELY REJOINED THE DEPARTURE. AT 60 TO 70 MILES FROM ZZZ WE WERE APPROACHING ANOTHER LINE OF WEATHER THAT WE WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO NAVIGATE AROUND AND THE PILOT REQUESTED A TURN TO THE SOUTH TO AVOID POTENTIAL ICING CONDITIONS. THE CENTER CONTROLLER SEEMED TO BE UNSURE OF WHAT HE WAS REQUESTING SO HE EXPLAINED AGAIN THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO TURN TO THE SOUTH AND CONTINUE ON THAT HEADING FOR A WHILE BEFORE RETURNING TO ZZZ. HE TURNED TO A HEADING OF 180 AND WE CONTINUED ON THAT HEADING FOR ABOUT 10 MILES AND REQUESTED A TURN BACK TO ZZZ. THE CONTROLLER NOTIFIED US THAT WE HAD MADE BOTH OF THE PRIOR TURNS WITHOUT RECEIVING CLEARANCE TO DO SO AND THEN ISSUED US A CLEARANCE TO RETURN TO ZZZ. BOTH THE OTHER PILOT AND MYSELF FELT THAT STAYING CLEAR OF THE POTENTIAL ICING CONDITIONS WAS OUR FIRST PRIORITY FOR THE CONTINUED SAFETY OF THE FLIGHT; HOWEVER IN THE FUTURE I WILL ENSURE THAT ATC FULLY UNDERSTANDS WHAT IS BEING REQUESTED AND WHY AND THAT PROPER CLEARANCE HAS BEEN RECEIVED PRIOR TO DEVIATING.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 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.