A mooney M20C pilot encountered unforecast icing IFR and changed cruise altitude when unable to cont...

Attributes
ACN	652161
Time
Date	200503
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : hab.vortac
State Reference	AL
Altitude	msl single value : 5000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Weather Elements	Ice
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : cbm.tracon
Make Model Name	M-20 B/C Ranger
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 39 flight time total : 4457 flight time type : 2000
ASRS Report	652161
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : weather inflight encounter other non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : exited adverse environment flight crew : took precautionary avoidance action
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Weather Flight Crew Human Performance Aircraft
Primary Problem	Weather

Narrative:

Encountered rime icing at 7000 ft (not forecast). As it was windy (50 KTS) and cloud cover thick above with temperature at 0 degrees C; elected to descend to 5000 ft. Approved by ATC; controller pointed out that aircraft 30 mi to east had encountered icing at 5000 ft and descended to 3000 ft to avoid. Said I would try 5000 ft first. At this point I was also given the frequency for the next controller as he was concerned I might lose him at 5000 ft. While descending all of the ice departed the aircraft; however it started to accumulate rapidly at 5000 ft. Several attempts to reach either controller on two radios went unanswered. I called in the blind (twice) that I was descending to 3000 ft in case they could hear me or have it relayed. I finally reached the next controller while descending through 4100 ft and was then cleared to 3000 ft. For the future; since both pilot and ATC both knew that radio and ice might be a problem at 5000 ft we should have thought ahead to a block clearance.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A MOONEY M20C PLT ENCOUNTERED UNFORECAST ICING IFR AND CHANGED CRUISE ALT WHEN UNABLE TO CONTACT ATC.

Narrative: ENCOUNTERED RIME ICING AT 7000 FT (NOT FORECAST). AS IT WAS WINDY (50 KTS) AND CLOUD COVER THICK ABOVE WITH TEMP AT 0 DEGS C; ELECTED TO DSND TO 5000 FT. APPROVED BY ATC; CTLR POINTED OUT THAT ACFT 30 MI TO E HAD ENCOUNTERED ICING AT 5000 FT AND DSNDED TO 3000 FT TO AVOID. SAID I WOULD TRY 5000 FT FIRST. AT THIS POINT I WAS ALSO GIVEN THE FREQUENCY FOR THE NEXT CTLR AS HE WAS CONCERNED I MIGHT LOSE HIM AT 5000 FT. WHILE DSNDING ALL OF THE ICE DEPARTED THE ACFT; HOWEVER IT STARTED TO ACCUMULATE RAPIDLY AT 5000 FT. SEVERAL ATTEMPTS TO REACH EITHER CTLR ON TWO RADIOS WENT UNANSWERED. I CALLED IN THE BLIND (TWICE) THAT I WAS DSNDING TO 3000 FT IN CASE THEY COULD HEAR ME OR HAVE IT RELAYED. I FINALLY REACHED THE NEXT CTLR WHILE DSNDING THROUGH 4100 FT AND WAS THEN CLRED TO 3000 FT. FOR THE FUTURE; SINCE BOTH PLT AND ATC BOTH KNEW THAT RADIO AND ICE MIGHT BE A PROB AT 5000 FT WE SHOULD HAVE THOUGHT AHEAD TO A BLOCK CLRNC.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.

A mooney M20C pilot encountered unforecast icing IFR and changed cruise altitude when unable to contact ATC.