Narrative:

I was en route from ZZZ to ZZZ1. My cruising altitude was 9500 ft. The flight had been smooth and uneventful. No flight plan had been filed. After passing ZZZ2; I climbed to 11000 ft to give myself plenty of room over the mountains. When I got to the mountains it seemed that the clouds just enveloped me and I lost visual reference with the ground. I tried to turn back but became even further disoriented. I climbed even higher to 13000 ft. The aircraft began to ice up. However; the airplane was still ctlable. After about 20 mins; I dialed in 121.5 and declared an emergency; as I needed help to get oriented and safely back on the ground. I was passed to center who vectored me to the VOR and down out of the clouds to 9500 ft where there was more than 10 mi visibility. The ice came off and I landed at ZZZ3 to collect myself. After landing; I contacted approach to confirm that I was safely on the ground. I then took off again and landed at ZZZ1. I feel that some of the ways it could have been prevented are: 1) obtain a WX briefing before any and all flts. 2) when flying cross country; always file a flight plan regardless of how often the route has been flown. 3) during a cross country flight; obtain flight following. It would have saved a lot of fear on both sides had I done that. Had I done #1 above; I would have waited to go another day. However; I was in a hurry to get back home. I know that will never happen again. I am now more motivated to obtain my instrument rating; and will not put it off. I will always follow the procedure above. I am grateful to ATC controllers who helped me in my time of need. It is good and comforting that we are not in the air alone. I realize that I need and will continue to need more training. This is a type of event that I will never go through again.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A VFR C182 PLT ENTERED IMC WITH ICING AND CLBED TO 13000 FT. HE DECLARED AN EMER AND DSNDED TO 9500 FT VMC WITH ATC'S ASSISTANCE.

Narrative: I WAS ENRTE FROM ZZZ TO ZZZ1. MY CRUISING ALT WAS 9500 FT. THE FLT HAD BEEN SMOOTH AND UNEVENTFUL. NO FLT PLAN HAD BEEN FILED. AFTER PASSING ZZZ2; I CLBED TO 11000 FT TO GIVE MYSELF PLENTY OF ROOM OVER THE MOUNTAINS. WHEN I GOT TO THE MOUNTAINS IT SEEMED THAT THE CLOUDS JUST ENVELOPED ME AND I LOST VISUAL REF WITH THE GND. I TRIED TO TURN BACK BUT BECAME EVEN FURTHER DISORIENTED. I CLBED EVEN HIGHER TO 13000 FT. THE ACFT BEGAN TO ICE UP. HOWEVER; THE AIRPLANE WAS STILL CTLABLE. AFTER ABOUT 20 MINS; I DIALED IN 121.5 AND DECLARED AN EMER; AS I NEEDED HELP TO GET ORIENTED AND SAFELY BACK ON THE GND. I WAS PASSED TO CENTER WHO VECTORED ME TO THE VOR AND DOWN OUT OF THE CLOUDS TO 9500 FT WHERE THERE WAS MORE THAN 10 MI VISIBILITY. THE ICE CAME OFF AND I LANDED AT ZZZ3 TO COLLECT MYSELF. AFTER LNDG; I CONTACTED APCH TO CONFIRM THAT I WAS SAFELY ON THE GND. I THEN TOOK OFF AGAIN AND LANDED AT ZZZ1. I FEEL THAT SOME OF THE WAYS IT COULD HAVE BEEN PREVENTED ARE: 1) OBTAIN A WX BRIEFING BEFORE ANY AND ALL FLTS. 2) WHEN FLYING XCOUNTRY; ALWAYS FILE A FLT PLAN REGARDLESS OF HOW OFTEN THE RTE HAS BEEN FLOWN. 3) DURING A XCOUNTRY FLT; OBTAIN FLT FOLLOWING. IT WOULD HAVE SAVED A LOT OF FEAR ON BOTH SIDES HAD I DONE THAT. HAD I DONE #1 ABOVE; I WOULD HAVE WAITED TO GO ANOTHER DAY. HOWEVER; I WAS IN A HURRY TO GET BACK HOME. I KNOW THAT WILL NEVER HAPPEN AGAIN. I AM NOW MORE MOTIVATED TO OBTAIN MY INST RATING; AND WILL NOT PUT IT OFF. I WILL ALWAYS FOLLOW THE PROC ABOVE. I AM GRATEFUL TO ATC CTLRS WHO HELPED ME IN MY TIME OF NEED. IT IS GOOD AND COMFORTING THAT WE ARE NOT IN THE AIR ALONE. I REALIZE THAT I NEED AND WILL CONTINUE TO NEED MORE TRAINING. THIS IS A TYPE OF EVENT THAT I WILL NEVER GO THROUGH AGAIN.

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.