PA28 pilot at 9000 feet on IFR flight plan encounters icing and requests lower. Pilot is stepped down but cannot maintain altitude and does not announce his predicament. A pilot deviation is recorded.

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Attributes
ACN	811227
Time
Date	200811
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	msl single value : 7000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Weather Elements	Ice
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : zzz.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 : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 74 flight time total : 680 flight time type : 500
ASRS Report	811227
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude inflight encounter : weather non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : exited adverse environment
Consequence	faa : assigned or threatened penalties
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Weather
Primary Problem	Ambiguous

Narrative:

I was flying above the cloud deck at 9000 ft. The cloud deck continued to rise and while in the clouds I started to pick up some ice (there was no airmet zulu). I asked if I could go lower due to the icing situation and was cleared to 7000 ft MSL. While in descent I picked up significant ice on my wings and propeller with significant loss of power. I asked to go further in the descent and was told to hold for a couple of mins. I had a difficult time trying to hold the altitude and lost additional altitude due to the icing condition. I was trying to keep the aircraft under control at this time and communication was not high on the priority list. Finally I was out of the clouds and in higher temperatures and I was cleared for 3000 ft MSL. I was then handed off to approach and he said that I violated the altitude and that I would be issued a deviation. I said nothing; I was a little shaken up by the experience. In hindsight I did not know that I lost the extra 500 ft while in the clouds while picking up ice. My main goal was to control the aircraft.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PA28 PILOT AT 9000 FEET ON IFR FLIGHT PLAN ENCOUNTERS ICING AND REQUESTS LOWER. PILOT IS STEPPED DOWN BUT CANNOT MAINTAIN ALTITUDE AND DOES NOT ANNOUNCE HIS PREDICAMENT. A PILOT DEVIATION IS RECORDED.

Narrative: I WAS FLYING ABOVE THE CLOUD DECK AT 9000 FT. THE CLOUD DECK CONTINUED TO RISE AND WHILE IN THE CLOUDS I STARTED TO PICK UP SOME ICE (THERE WAS NO AIRMET ZULU). I ASKED IF I COULD GO LOWER DUE TO THE ICING SITUATION AND WAS CLRED TO 7000 FT MSL. WHILE IN DSCNT I PICKED UP SIGNIFICANT ICE ON MY WINGS AND PROP WITH SIGNIFICANT LOSS OF PWR. I ASKED TO GO FURTHER IN THE DSCNT AND WAS TOLD TO HOLD FOR A COUPLE OF MINS. I HAD A DIFFICULT TIME TRYING TO HOLD THE ALT AND LOST ADDITIONAL ALT DUE TO THE ICING CONDITION. I WAS TRYING TO KEEP THE ACFT UNDER CTL AT THIS TIME AND COM WAS NOT HIGH ON THE PRIORITY LIST. FINALLY I WAS OUT OF THE CLOUDS AND IN HIGHER TEMPS AND I WAS CLRED FOR 3000 FT MSL. I WAS THEN HANDED OFF TO APCH AND HE SAID THAT I VIOLATED THE ALT AND THAT I WOULD BE ISSUED A DEV. I SAID NOTHING; I WAS A LITTLE SHAKEN UP BY THE EXPERIENCE. IN HINDSIGHT I DID NOT KNOW THAT I LOST THE EXTRA 500 FT WHILE IN THE CLOUDS WHILE PICKING UP ICE. MY MAIN GOAL WAS TO CTL THE ACFT.

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.