TRACON controller described an icing event; declaring an emergency for the aircraft and providing an...

Narrative:

A C172 was handed off from center. The controller requested 6;500 ft MSL because the pilot reported icing. On initial contact; I asked the pilot if he was still receiving ice and he said he was. I attempted to vector the aircraft on the most expeditious route to lower MVA's. When the aircraft was in the 4;500 ft MVA; he said he was continuing to accumulate ice; estimated to be 3/8 inch by now. The pilot said he was having trouble holding altitude and airspeed. I decided to declare an emergency situation without advising the pilot of this fact. Working closely with the eovm; I descended the aircraft to the 3;500 ft MVA a couple miles prior to that MVA boundary; hoping that the icing would abate. It did not. At this point; I decided to attempt vectors to a visual approach; however; when the aircraft was one mile southwest of the airport; he was still in IMC and still accumulating ice. While the pilot remained relatively calm; I sensed he was becoming more concerned about the icing; his deteriorating airspeed; and his inability to hold assigned altitude. I asked if he had pitot and carb heat. He said he did and they were both on. I vectored the aircraft about 1/2 mile from the outer marker; assigning 2;800 ft; the glide slope intercept altitude. I cleared the C172 for the ILS approach; and he started to turn inbound. I received a landing clearance from the tower and cleared the aircraft to land; instructing him to remain on my frequency. He seemed to follow the approach for about two miles; then appeared to stray to the east of the final. The pilot asked if he was on course and I told him he was straying eastward. The aircraft was now on about a three mile final; and I decided to give him an emergency ASR approach; assigning vectors and step-down altitudes to 1;800 ft. When the aircraft was on short final at 1;800 ft; he said he had just broken out of IMC and had the runway in sight. The pilot landed safely; and I instructed him to change to ground control. I was later informed ground personnel reported the aircraft had approximately 1 inch ice on all surfaces. Continue to attempt to educate the aviation community about the dangers of icing; especially to light aircraft with no icing protection.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: TRACON Controller described an icing event; declaring an emergency for the aircraft and providing an emergency type ASR approach to accomplish uneventful descent below IMC.

Narrative: A C172 was handed off from Center. The Controller requested 6;500 FT MSL because the pilot reported icing. On initial contact; I asked the pilot if he was still receiving ice and he said he was. I attempted to vector the aircraft on the most expeditious route to lower MVA's. When the aircraft was in the 4;500 FT MVA; he said he was continuing to accumulate ice; estimated to be 3/8 inch by now. The pilot said he was having trouble holding altitude and airspeed. I decided to declare an emergency situation without advising the pilot of this fact. Working closely with the EOVM; I descended the aircraft to the 3;500 FT MVA a couple miles prior to that MVA boundary; hoping that the icing would abate. It did not. At this point; I decided to attempt vectors to a visual approach; however; when the aircraft was one mile southwest of the airport; he was still in IMC and still accumulating ice. While the pilot remained relatively calm; I sensed he was becoming more concerned about the icing; his deteriorating airspeed; and his inability to hold assigned altitude. I asked if he had pitot and carb heat. He said he did and they were both on. I vectored the aircraft about 1/2 mile from the outer marker; assigning 2;800 FT; the glide slope intercept altitude. I cleared the C172 for the ILS approach; and he started to turn inbound. I received a landing clearance from the Tower and cleared the aircraft to land; instructing him to remain on my frequency. He seemed to follow the approach for about two miles; then appeared to stray to the east of the final. The pilot asked if he was on course and I told him he was straying eastward. The aircraft was now on about a three mile final; and I decided to give him an emergency ASR approach; assigning vectors and step-down altitudes to 1;800 FT. When the aircraft was on short final at 1;800 FT; he said he had just broken out of IMC and had the runway in sight. The pilot landed safely; and I instructed him to change to Ground Control. I was later informed ground personnel reported the aircraft had approximately 1 inch ice on all surfaces. Continue to attempt to educate the aviation community about the dangers of icing; especially to light aircraft with no icing protection.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2013 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.

Attributes
ACN	1065330
Time
Date	201302
Local Time Of Day	1201-1800
Place
Locale Reference	ZZZ.Airport
State Reference	US
Aircraft 1
Make Model Name	Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	Final Approach
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Function	Approach Departure
Qualification	Air Traffic Control Fully Certified
Person 2
Function	Instructor Pilot Flying
Qualification	Flight Crew Multiengine Flight Crew Instrument Flight Crew Flight Instructor Flight Crew Commercial
Experience	Flight Crew Last 90 Days 20 Flight Crew Total 325 Flight Crew Type 230
Events
Anomaly	Aircraft Equipment Problem Critical Inflight Event / Encounter Weather / Turbulence

TRACON controller described an icing event; declaring an emergency for the aircraft and providing an emergency type ASR approach to accomplish uneventful descent below IMC.