GA pilot reported taking off in a C172 into known icing. Ice built rapidly and forced a diversion to...

Attributes
ACN	1619691
Time
Date	201902
Local Time Of Day	1201-1800
Place
Locale Reference	ZZZ.TRACON
State Reference	US
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Make Model Name	Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	Climb
Route In Use	Visual Approach Vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Function	Pilot Flying Single Pilot
Qualification	Flight Crew Commercial Flight Crew Instrument Flight Crew Multiengine
Experience	Flight Crew Last 90 Days 20 Flight Crew Total 300 Flight Crew Type 250
Events
Anomaly	ATC Issue All Types Aircraft Equipment Problem Less Severe Deviation - Procedural Published Material / Policy Deviation - Track / Heading All Types

Narrative:

Weather deteriorated while visiting in ZZZ; airport went IFR; [but] VMC conditions still existed. We had to file to get out. The freezing levels were at 7;000 feet. I filled for 6;000 feet. When we received the clearance; I accepted as long as we could stay low and cancel over the desert. ZZZ [approach] would not allow this stating that we knew the conditions. We were assigned the climb up to 11;000 feet.; my intentions were to cancel over [the] desert and continue VFR.I requested lower due to the OAT and was denied the request. I then asked to divert for [a] VOR. [Controller] gave me vectors and my mag compass was off by 15 degrees. ZZZ [approach] then [advised for me] and gave me no gyro back to my new choice. The icing started to melt off around 4;000 feet and I was able to land VFR and wait out the clouds.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GA pilot reported taking off in a C172 into known icing. Ice built rapidly and forced a diversion to the nearest airport.

Narrative: Weather deteriorated while visiting in ZZZ; airport went IFR; [but] VMC conditions still existed. We had to file to get out. The freezing levels were at 7;000 feet. I filled for 6;000 feet. When we received the clearance; I accepted as long as we could stay low and cancel over the desert. ZZZ [Approach] would not allow this stating that we knew the conditions. We were assigned the climb up to 11;000 feet.; my intentions were to cancel over [the] desert and continue VFR.I requested lower due to the OAT and was denied the request. I then asked to divert for [a] VOR. [Controller] gave me vectors and my mag compass was off by 15 degrees. ZZZ [Approach] then [advised for me] and gave me no gyro back to my new choice. The icing started to melt off around 4;000 feet and I was able to land VFR and wait out the clouds.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site 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.