Private instrument rated pilot of an small aircraft sel flew into forecasted and actual icing condit...

Attributes
ACN	355236
Time
Date	199612
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : gsh
State Reference	IN
Altitude	msl bound lower : 7000 msl bound upper : 7000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute airway : zob
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 60 flight time total : 1100 flight time type : 1100
ASRS Report	355236
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : weather other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : exited penetrated airspace
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Weather
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

This was an IFR flight in a sel plane without deicing equipment. The plane accumulated a trace to light rime ice -- mostly on the elevator, at several points en route. There were no control problems and the flight ended without incident. There was an airmet for light to moderate rime icing but PIREPS mentioned only a trace of icing and ceilings were generally 20-30 overcast with good visibility (according to forecasts). There are 2 issues here: 1) how does one determine when icing in a particular location is known, ie, what is the definition of 'known icing.' 2) how to be safe when flying in an area where there is widespread potential for ice. I don't know the answer to item #1 -- just a comment: to not fly whenever ice might be possible would preclude winter IFR flying in small planes. As for safety, I, perhaps, should have terminated the flight before flying into an area of such widespread icing potential. There wasn't an easy out if there had been any problems, with icing or otherwise. The forecast didn't sound bad to me, but getting caught without an easy way out was very uncomfortable. The conclusion: flying a small plane when icing is possible requires a plan of escape in case conditions become dangerous.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PVT INST RATED PLT OF AN SMA SEL FLEW INTO FORECASTED AND ACTUAL ICING CONDITIONS WITHOUT ANY ANTI- OR DEICE EQUIP FOR DISPOSING OF THE ICE. UNDER PART 91 OPS, THERE ARE NO STIPULATIONS OR REQUIREMENTS FOR ACFT ICE REMOVAL. KNOWN ICING CONDITIONS ARE JUST WHAT IT IMPLIES, SUCH AS RECENT PIREP OR OBSERVATIONS.

Narrative: THIS WAS AN IFR FLT IN A SEL PLANE WITHOUT DEICING EQUIP. THE PLANE ACCUMULATED A TRACE TO LIGHT RIME ICE -- MOSTLY ON THE ELEVATOR, AT SEVERAL POINTS ENRTE. THERE WERE NO CTL PROBS AND THE FLT ENDED WITHOUT INCIDENT. THERE WAS AN AIRMET FOR LIGHT TO MODERATE RIME ICING BUT PIREPS MENTIONED ONLY A TRACE OF ICING AND CEILINGS WERE GENERALLY 20-30 OVCST WITH GOOD VISIBILITY (ACCORDING TO FORECASTS). THERE ARE 2 ISSUES HERE: 1) HOW DOES ONE DETERMINE WHEN ICING IN A PARTICULAR LOCATION IS KNOWN, IE, WHAT IS THE DEFINITION OF 'KNOWN ICING.' 2) HOW TO BE SAFE WHEN FLYING IN AN AREA WHERE THERE IS WIDESPREAD POTENTIAL FOR ICE. I DON'T KNOW THE ANSWER TO ITEM #1 -- JUST A COMMENT: TO NOT FLY WHENEVER ICE MIGHT BE POSSIBLE WOULD PRECLUDE WINTER IFR FLYING IN SMALL PLANES. AS FOR SAFETY, I, PERHAPS, SHOULD HAVE TERMINATED THE FLT BEFORE FLYING INTO AN AREA OF SUCH WIDESPREAD ICING POTENTIAL. THERE WASN'T AN EASY OUT IF THERE HAD BEEN ANY PROBS, WITH ICING OR OTHERWISE. THE FORECAST DIDN'T SOUND BAD TO ME, BUT GETTING CAUGHT WITHOUT AN EASY WAY OUT WAS VERY UNCOMFORTABLE. THE CONCLUSION: FLYING A SMALL PLANE WHEN ICING IS POSSIBLE REQUIRES A PLAN OF ESCAPE IN CASE CONDITIONS BECOME DANGEROUS.

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.