An small aircraft encountered in-flight WX icing and freezing rain.

Attributes
ACN	267421
Time
Date	199403
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : sbj airport : cdw
State Reference	NJ
Altitude	msl bound lower : 1300 msl bound upper : 4000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : n90
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise other other other
Route In Use	approach : visual enroute : direct enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 36 flight time total : 2000 flight time type : 400
ASRS Report	267421
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : departure
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : weather other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : declared emergency other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Weather

Narrative:

The basic problem was flying in unforecasted conditions. Having gotten my WX briefing from duats, the forecast for winds. A loft showed a temperature of plus 3 degrees C at 6000 and would rise during the day. Surface temperature was plus 2 degrees C at cdw. A light rain was falling. Heavy rain was forecast for the early P.M. I planned to return prior to that after takeoff. The temperature dropped to minus 4 degrees C at 4000 ft. Mixed ice began to accumulate. I informed ATC that I wished to return to cdw. He wanted to vector me to the localizer approach. This would have meant a turn to the north where colder conditions were forecast and flying through clouds and perhaps accelerate the accumulation of ice. Since cdw was VFR (1300 ft and 5 mi) I asked for a descent and a visual approach. The controller descended me to the MVA (1500 ft). I was still in the clouds. He told me he would declare an emergency for me and descend me down to 1300 ft, which he did. At 1300 ft I was able to make visual contact with the field. The lesson to be learned is, don't depend on temperature forecasts if close to O degrees C during precipitation. Since this forecast was off by at least 5 degrees C.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN SMA ENCOUNTERED INFLT WX ICING AND FREEZING RAIN.

Narrative: THE BASIC PROB WAS FLYING IN UNFORECASTED CONDITIONS. HAVING GOTTEN MY WX BRIEFING FROM DUATS, THE FORECAST FOR WINDS. A LOFT SHOWED A TEMP OF PLUS 3 DEGS C AT 6000 AND WOULD RISE DURING THE DAY. SURFACE TEMP WAS PLUS 2 DEGS C AT CDW. A LIGHT RAIN WAS FALLING. HVY RAIN WAS FORECAST FOR THE EARLY P.M. I PLANNED TO RETURN PRIOR TO THAT AFTER TKOF. THE TEMP DROPPED TO MINUS 4 DEGS C AT 4000 FT. MIXED ICE BEGAN TO ACCUMULATE. I INFORMED ATC THAT I WISHED TO RETURN TO CDW. HE WANTED TO VECTOR ME TO THE LOC APCH. THIS WOULD HAVE MEANT A TURN TO THE N WHERE COLDER CONDITIONS WERE FORECAST AND FLYING THROUGH CLOUDS AND PERHAPS ACCELERATE THE ACCUMULATION OF ICE. SINCE CDW WAS VFR (1300 FT AND 5 MI) I ASKED FOR A DSCNT AND A VISUAL APCH. THE CTLR DSNDED ME TO THE MVA (1500 FT). I WAS STILL IN THE CLOUDS. HE TOLD ME HE WOULD DECLARE AN EMER FOR ME AND DSND ME DOWN TO 1300 FT, WHICH HE DID. AT 1300 FT I WAS ABLE TO MAKE VISUAL CONTACT WITH THE FIELD. THE LESSON TO BE LEARNED IS, DON'T DEPEND ON TEMP FORECASTS IF CLOSE TO O DEGS C DURING PRECIPITATION. SINCE THIS FORECAST WAS OFF BY AT LEAST 5 DEGS C.

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.