C172 pilot on IFR flight plan requests climb due to icing but is unable to maintain higher due to turbulence. Pilot proceeds at a lower altitude without further incident.

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Attributes
ACN	642139
Time
Date	200412
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	intersection : deway
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 10000 msl bound upper : 11000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Weather Elements	Ice Turbulence
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zla.artcc
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise : enroute altitude change
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zla.artcc
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Person 1
Affiliation	company : corporate
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 2800 flight time type : 500
ASRS Report	642139
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude inflight encounter : turbulence inflight encounter : weather non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : separated traffic controller : issued new clearance flight crew : exited adverse environment
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Weather Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Weather

Narrative:

I encountered light mixed icing at 10000 ft and climbed to 11000 ft to get back on top. I then encountered moderate to severe turbulence and was unable to maintain altitude due to strong downdrafts. ATC had to turn another aircraft around (180 degrees) that was overtaking me from below at 10000 ft. ATC cleared me down to 9000 ft and out of the turbulence. The flight proceeded without incident. Icing and turbulence had been forecast but not reported. 10000 ft had kept me on top of the overcast with an outside air temperature of 34 degrees F for over 100 NM. I was hesitant to ask for higher because of decreasing temperature. As I neared the pass, the outside air temperature fell and top of the overcast rose. I should have anticipated the turbulence since I was near the top of the peaks.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C172 PLT ON IFR FLT PLAN REQUESTS CLB DUE TO ICING BUT IS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN HIGHER DUE TO TURB. PLT PROCEEDS AT A LOWER ALT WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT.

Narrative: I ENCOUNTERED LIGHT MIXED ICING AT 10000 FT AND CLBED TO 11000 FT TO GET BACK ON TOP. I THEN ENCOUNTERED MODERATE TO SEVERE TURB AND WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN ALT DUE TO STRONG DOWNDRAFTS. ATC HAD TO TURN ANOTHER ACFT AROUND (180 DEGS) THAT WAS OVERTAKING ME FROM BELOW AT 10000 FT. ATC CLRED ME DOWN TO 9000 FT AND OUT OF THE TURB. THE FLT PROCEEDED WITHOUT INCIDENT. ICING AND TURB HAD BEEN FORECAST BUT NOT RPTED. 10000 FT HAD KEPT ME ON TOP OF THE OVCST WITH AN OUTSIDE AIR TEMP OF 34 DEGS F FOR OVER 100 NM. I WAS HESITANT TO ASK FOR HIGHER BECAUSE OF DECREASING TEMP. AS I NEARED THE PASS, THE OUTSIDE AIR TEMP FELL AND TOP OF THE OVCST ROSE. I SHOULD HAVE ANTICIPATED THE TURB SINCE I WAS NEAR THE TOP OF THE PEAKS.

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.