Pilot of small aircraft encountered WX more severe than forecast. Unable to safely stay at assigned ...

Attributes
ACN	110834
Time
Date	198905
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : hon
State Reference	SD
Altitude	msl bound lower : 5000 msl bound upper : 7000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Retractable Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other descent other
Route In Use	enroute airway : zmp
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : private
ASRS Report	110834
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude inflight encounter : weather non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified cockpit
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : exited adverse environment
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

En route from rapid city to st paul via V26. FSS forecasted generally clear with some widely scattered showers on eastern portion of route. Left rapid city on IFR flight in plan VFR conditions. As flight progressed, widely scattered clouds were encountered. Cruising altitude was 7000', temperature 20 degrees F. In the vicinity of huron, larger cloud formations were encountered with precipitation. Brief encounters with scattered clouds resulted in rapid accumulations of ice. Tried to raise ZMP to ask for clearance to deviate for WX, but was unable. Continue to attempt to raise ZMP west/O success. As I continued en route, flight encountered large area of precipitation, estimated to be 10 mi wide either side of arwy with restr visibility. Before entering clouds, noted that it was clear below and clear to the south. Continued to try to raise center, while trying to raise huron FSS for center frequency in this area. Entered clouds and encountered rapid accumulations of ice. Turned 30 degrees south from arwy to avoid largest and most dense precipitation. Continued to try to raise ZMP and huron FSS west/O success. Descended from 7000 to 5000' to avoid precipitation and clouds. Was able to do most of maneuvering in VFR conditions. All encounters with clouds and precipitation resulted in heavy ice accumulation. Finally raised huron FSS to get area center frequency. Raised center on new frequency. Obviously I had been handed off. (Maybe I wasn't handed off.) never heard or acknowledged handoff. All and all, not a very pleasant experience.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF SMA ENCOUNTERED WX MORE SEVERE THAN FORECAST. UNABLE TO SAFELY STAY AT ASSIGNED ALT, DESCENDED MOSTLY CLEAR OF CLOUDS TO 5000' TO AVOID HEAVY ICING CONDITIONS. UNABLE TO CONTACT CENTER OR OTHER CTLING AGENCY TO OBTAIN CLRNC FOR THE DESCENT.

Narrative: ENRTE FROM RAPID CITY TO ST PAUL VIA V26. FSS FORECASTED GENERALLY CLEAR WITH SOME WIDELY SCATTERED SHOWERS ON EASTERN PORTION OF ROUTE. LEFT RAPID CITY ON IFR FLT IN PLAN VFR CONDITIONS. AS FLT PROGRESSED, WIDELY SCATTERED CLOUDS WERE ENCOUNTERED. CRUISING ALT WAS 7000', TEMP 20 DEGS F. IN THE VICINITY OF HURON, LARGER CLOUD FORMATIONS WERE ENCOUNTERED WITH PRECIPITATION. BRIEF ENCOUNTERS WITH SCATTERED CLOUDS RESULTED IN RAPID ACCUMULATIONS OF ICE. TRIED TO RAISE ZMP TO ASK FOR CLRNC TO DEVIATE FOR WX, BUT WAS UNABLE. CONTINUE TO ATTEMPT TO RAISE ZMP W/O SUCCESS. AS I CONTINUED ENRTE, FLT ENCOUNTERED LARGE AREA OF PRECIPITATION, ESTIMATED TO BE 10 MI WIDE EITHER SIDE OF ARWY WITH RESTR VISIBILITY. BEFORE ENTERING CLOUDS, NOTED THAT IT WAS CLEAR BELOW AND CLEAR TO THE S. CONTINUED TO TRY TO RAISE CENTER, WHILE TRYING TO RAISE HURON FSS FOR CENTER FREQ IN THIS AREA. ENTERED CLOUDS AND ENCOUNTERED RAPID ACCUMULATIONS OF ICE. TURNED 30 DEGS S FROM ARWY TO AVOID LARGEST AND MOST DENSE PRECIPITATION. CONTINUED TO TRY TO RAISE ZMP AND HURON FSS W/O SUCCESS. DSNDED FROM 7000 TO 5000' TO AVOID PRECIPITATION AND CLOUDS. WAS ABLE TO DO MOST OF MANEUVERING IN VFR CONDITIONS. ALL ENCOUNTERS WITH CLOUDS AND PRECIPITATION RESULTED IN HEAVY ICE ACCUMULATION. FINALLY RAISED HURON FSS TO GET AREA CENTER FREQ. RAISED CENTER ON NEW FREQ. OBVIOUSLY I HAD BEEN HANDED OFF. (MAYBE I WASN'T HANDED OFF.) NEVER HEARD OR ACKNOWLEDGED HDOF. ALL AND ALL, NOT A VERY PLEASANT EXPERIENCE.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 2007 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.

Pilot of small aircraft encountered WX more severe than forecast. Unable to safely stay at assigned altitude, descended mostly clear of clouds to 5000' to avoid heavy icing conditions. Unable to contact center or other controling agency to obtain clearance for the descent.