PA34T in WX accumulates ice, pilot takes another aircraft's frequency change and descends without cl...

Attributes
ACN	452643
Time
Date	199910
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
State Reference	MI
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3100 msl bound upper : 5000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Weather Elements	Ice Rain Turbulence
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : lan.tracon
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	PA-34-200T Turbo Seneca II
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Navigation In Use	other
Route In Use	approach : visual arrival : on vectors arrival : vfr
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 1000 flight time type : 100
ASRS Report	452643
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude inflight encounter : weather inflight encounter other non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : separated traffic
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Weather Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

At about 5000 ft, was given heading 180 degrees and cleared to 3100 ft. At this time was in a rain-ice pellet shower. Windscreen glazed over, activated propeller heat and hot plate. Pitot heat on since departure. Autoplt would not respond to descent command -- had to disengage. Electric trim frozen, could not move trim wheel. Had to use heavy control input to force descent. (Turn was for level flight prior to icing.) controller called the field '12 O'clock and 4 mi.' I responded I had field in sight. I then heard 'cleared visual, point seven.' I assumed this was for me, switched to advisory frequency, descended to pattern altitude 2000 ft, and on downwind switched back to lan approach and announced I was in the pattern and would like to cancel. Controller acknowledged cancellation and gave number to call when on ground. He stated he 1) did not clear me for the visual, and 2) because I did not descend to 3100 ft in a timely manner he had to divert a flight approaching lan. I explained the icing problem. He said in the future tell controller if there is a problem. Visual clearance was for another aircraft. My transmission of field in sight was apparently blocked.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PA34T IN WX ACCUMULATES ICE, PLT TAKES ANOTHER ACFT'S FREQ CHANGE AND DSNDS WITHOUT CLRNC.

Narrative: AT ABOUT 5000 FT, WAS GIVEN HDG 180 DEGS AND CLRED TO 3100 FT. AT THIS TIME WAS IN A RAIN-ICE PELLET SHOWER. WINDSCREEN GLAZED OVER, ACTIVATED PROP HEAT AND HOT PLATE. PITOT HEAT ON SINCE DEP. AUTOPLT WOULD NOT RESPOND TO DSCNT COMMAND -- HAD TO DISENGAGE. ELECTRIC TRIM FROZEN, COULD NOT MOVE TRIM WHEEL. HAD TO USE HVY CTL INPUT TO FORCE DSCNT. (TURN WAS FOR LEVEL FLT PRIOR TO ICING.) CTLR CALLED THE FIELD '12 O'CLOCK AND 4 MI.' I RESPONDED I HAD FIELD IN SIGHT. I THEN HEARD 'CLRED VISUAL, POINT SEVEN.' I ASSUMED THIS WAS FOR ME, SWITCHED TO ADVISORY FREQ, DSNDED TO PATTERN ALT 2000 FT, AND ON DOWNWIND SWITCHED BACK TO LAN APCH AND ANNOUNCED I WAS IN THE PATTERN AND WOULD LIKE TO CANCEL. CTLR ACKNOWLEDGED CANCELLATION AND GAVE NUMBER TO CALL WHEN ON GND. HE STATED HE 1) DID NOT CLR ME FOR THE VISUAL, AND 2) BECAUSE I DID NOT DSND TO 3100 FT IN A TIMELY MANNER HE HAD TO DIVERT A FLT APCHING LAN. I EXPLAINED THE ICING PROB. HE SAID IN THE FUTURE TELL CTLR IF THERE IS A PROB. VISUAL CLRNC WAS FOR ANOTHER ACFT. MY XMISSION OF FIELD IN SIGHT WAS APPARENTLY BLOCKED.

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.

PA34T in WX accumulates ice, pilot takes another aircraft's frequency change and descends without clearance.