Pilot of C210 encounters icing during IFR flight west of missoula, mt. During course reversal over mountainous terrain he descends to 8600 ft vice cleared altitude of 9500 ft.

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Attributes
ACN	631422
Time
Date	200409
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : mso.airport
State Reference	MT
Altitude	msl bound lower : 8600 msl bound upper : 10000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Weather Elements	Rain Ice
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zlc.artcc
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Cessna 210 Centurion / Turbo Centurion 210C, 210D
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise : enroute altitude change cruise : level
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 1500 flight time type : 1000
ASRS Report	631422
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude inflight encounter : weather inflight encounter other non adherence : clearance other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : altimeter other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : exited adverse environment flight crew : returned to assigned altitude
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance Aircraft Environmental Factor Flight Crew Human Performance Weather
Primary Problem	Environmental Factor

Narrative:

I was flying in broken clouds at 10000 ft over missoula when I entered substantial precipitation in a solid cloud. Ice began forming on the struts and I asked for lower. I was given 9500 ft but continued to experience icing. I then requested a 180 degree turn out of the precipitation, and was granted the turn. As I turned I allowed the aircraft to descend to 8600 ft. I was paying too much attention to getting out of the ice and not enough to holding my altitude. During the turn I was also trying to reconfigure the VOR's and GPS's to change direction. I should have just used the heading bug until I was stabilized. As an aside, ATC had also been working a C172 that had also iced up. ATC did not, however, inform me of the icing. They actually seemed surprised that I was icing up. There was an air met but it was for 10000 ft and up. That altitude was above freezing until the precipitation.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF C210 ENCOUNTERS ICING DURING IFR FLT W OF MISSOULA, MT. DURING COURSE REVERSAL OVER MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN HE DSNDS TO 8600 FT VICE CLRED ALT OF 9500 FT.

Narrative: I WAS FLYING IN BROKEN CLOUDS AT 10000 FT OVER MISSOULA WHEN I ENTERED SUBSTANTIAL PRECIPITATION IN A SOLID CLOUD. ICE BEGAN FORMING ON THE STRUTS AND I ASKED FOR LOWER. I WAS GIVEN 9500 FT BUT CONTINUED TO EXPERIENCE ICING. I THEN REQUESTED A 180 DEG TURN OUT OF THE PRECIPITATION, AND WAS GRANTED THE TURN. AS I TURNED I ALLOWED THE ACFT TO DSND TO 8600 FT. I WAS PAYING TOO MUCH ATTN TO GETTING OUT OF THE ICE AND NOT ENOUGH TO HOLDING MY ALT. DURING THE TURN I WAS ALSO TRYING TO RECONFIGURE THE VOR'S AND GPS'S TO CHANGE DIRECTION. I SHOULD HAVE JUST USED THE HDG BUG UNTIL I WAS STABILIZED. AS AN ASIDE, ATC HAD ALSO BEEN WORKING A C172 THAT HAD ALSO ICED UP. ATC DID NOT, HOWEVER, INFORM ME OF THE ICING. THEY ACTUALLY SEEMED SURPRISED THAT I WAS ICING UP. THERE WAS AN AIR MET BUT IT WAS FOR 10000 FT AND UP. THAT ALT WAS ABOVE FREEZING UNTIL THE PRECIPITATION.

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.