Narrative:

During most of day WX had been below IFR departure minimums and takeoff for a bet (bethel, ak) departure (charter) had been delayed. In late afternoon the snow which had been reducing visibility changed to rain and temperatures increased to above freezing and field WX became VFR. Checked WX, including PIREPS for ice and cloud tops. Area forecast called for light to moderate icing. There were no PIREPS of icing in the area. Asked FSS to get a PIREP from departing jet. Jet did not call back with a report. Departed dlg in VFR conditions, crossed VOR at 1800' and simultaneously entered clouds. Was not able to contact zan until approximately 20 DME west of dlg at 5700'. At that time encountered severe mixed icing which exceeded the de-icing equipment's ability, although all was functioning normally. Unable to contact center for course reversal. Another commuter flight was about to start approach at dlg. Contacted FSS and got approach clearance back to dlg and continued climb to MEA of 7000. Conducted localizer approach to dlg followed by normal landing prior to other commuter flight. Made PIREP to dlg FSS. This event has prompted me to write because of my long concern for the WX reporting and forecasting in alaska. Almost daily the WX forecast is for icing, turbulence and IFR conditions in the bristol bay and yukon-kuskokwim delta. While these conditions usually exist somewhere in alaska every day, we hear the same working regardless of whether these conditions are isolated or widespread. Pilots become disinterested due to this continuous crying 'wolf'! We need improved WX reporting and a system which will respond to actual conditions to amend the forecasts so that they become more believable.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: REPORTER ENCOUNTERED ICING THAT WAS NOT FORECAST.

Narrative: DURING MOST OF DAY WX HAD BEEN BELOW IFR DEP MINIMUMS AND TKOF FOR A BET (BETHEL, AK) DEP (CHARTER) HAD BEEN DELAYED. IN LATE AFTERNOON THE SNOW WHICH HAD BEEN REDUCING VISIBILITY CHANGED TO RAIN AND TEMPERATURES INCREASED TO ABOVE FREEZING AND FIELD WX BECAME VFR. CHECKED WX, INCLUDING PIREPS FOR ICE AND CLOUD TOPS. AREA FORECAST CALLED FOR LIGHT TO MODERATE ICING. THERE WERE NO PIREPS OF ICING IN THE AREA. ASKED FSS TO GET A PIREP FROM DEPARTING JET. JET DID NOT CALL BACK WITH A REPORT. DEPARTED DLG IN VFR CONDITIONS, CROSSED VOR AT 1800' AND SIMULTANEOUSLY ENTERED CLOUDS. WAS NOT ABLE TO CONTACT ZAN UNTIL APPROX 20 DME W OF DLG AT 5700'. AT THAT TIME ENCOUNTERED SEVERE MIXED ICING WHICH EXCEEDED THE DE-ICING EQUIPMENT'S ABILITY, ALTHOUGH ALL WAS FUNCTIONING NORMALLY. UNABLE TO CONTACT CENTER FOR COURSE REVERSAL. ANOTHER COMMUTER FLT WAS ABOUT TO START APCH AT DLG. CONTACTED FSS AND GOT APCH CLRNC BACK TO DLG AND CONTINUED CLIMB TO MEA OF 7000. CONDUCTED LOC APCH TO DLG FOLLOWED BY NORMAL LNDG PRIOR TO OTHER COMMUTER FLT. MADE PIREP TO DLG FSS. THIS EVENT HAS PROMPTED ME TO WRITE BECAUSE OF MY LONG CONCERN FOR THE WX REPORTING AND FORECASTING IN ALASKA. ALMOST DAILY THE WX FORECAST IS FOR ICING, TURBULENCE AND IFR CONDITIONS IN THE BRISTOL BAY AND YUKON-KUSKOKWIM DELTA. WHILE THESE CONDITIONS USUALLY EXIST SOMEWHERE IN ALASKA EVERY DAY, WE HEAR THE SAME WORKING REGARDLESS OF WHETHER THESE CONDITIONS ARE ISOLATED OR WIDESPREAD. PLTS BECOME DISINTERESTED DUE TO THIS CONTINUOUS CRYING 'WOLF'! WE NEED IMPROVED WX REPORTING AND A SYSTEM WHICH WILL RESPOND TO ACTUAL CONDITIONS TO AMEND THE FORECASTS SO THAT THEY BECOME MORE BELIEVABLE.

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