Aircraft not certified for forecast icing conditions.

Attributes
ACN	255158
Time
Date	199310
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : ste
State Reference	WI
Altitude	msl bound lower : 500 msl bound upper : 7500
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute airway : zmp
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 30 flight time total : 3700 flight time type : 3100
ASRS Report	255158
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : weather non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took evasive action flight crew : exited adverse environment
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Ceiling 5000 ft MSL, 4000 AGL, stratus clouds. Tops unknown, but probably around 8500 ft. Area forecast: possible light to moderate mixed icing. (Standard in this area.) freezing level 5000 ft. Encountered light rime ice from 6000-7500. Reported it to center and requested lower. Cleared to 4000 ft. About 1/8 inch accumulated in climb and descent. No previous PIREPS reporting ice in area. No threat to safety of flight, but a technical violation of far. I've brought this situation up at several FAA seminars and have never received a straight answer. It's impossible to fly IFR in the area from sepember through april without the possibility of a technical violation. In my opinion icing should be treated the same way as thunderstorms. There should be nothing illegal about going out and looking provided you have a safe backup plan and the icing forecast is as routine as it is around here, namely any time there is a cloud in the sky with temperatures below freezing.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACFT NOT CERTIFIED FOR FORECAST ICING CONDITIONS.

Narrative: CEILING 5000 FT MSL, 4000 AGL, STRATUS CLOUDS. TOPS UNKNOWN, BUT PROBABLY AROUND 8500 FT. AREA FORECAST: POSSIBLE LIGHT TO MODERATE MIXED ICING. (STANDARD IN THIS AREA.) FREEZING LEVEL 5000 FT. ENCOUNTERED LIGHT RIME ICE FROM 6000-7500. RPTED IT TO CTR AND REQUESTED LOWER. CLRED TO 4000 FT. ABOUT 1/8 INCH ACCUMULATED IN CLB AND DSCNT. NO PREVIOUS PIREPS RPTING ICE IN AREA. NO THREAT TO SAFETY OF FLT, BUT A TECHNICAL VIOLATION OF FAR. I'VE BROUGHT THIS SIT UP AT SEVERAL FAA SEMINARS AND HAVE NEVER RECEIVED A STRAIGHT ANSWER. IT'S IMPOSSIBLE TO FLY IFR IN THE AREA FROM SEPEMBER THROUGH APRIL WITHOUT THE POSSIBILITY OF A TECHNICAL VIOLATION. IN MY OPINION ICING SHOULD BE TREATED THE SAME WAY AS TSTMS. THERE SHOULD BE NOTHING ILLEGAL ABOUT GOING OUT AND LOOKING PROVIDED YOU HAVE A SAFE BACKUP PLAN AND THE ICING FORECAST IS AS ROUTINE AS IT IS AROUND HERE, NAMELY ANY TIME THERE IS A CLOUD IN THE SKY WITH TEMPS BELOW FREEZING.

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.