Narrative:

My passenger and I neared a large area of precipitation in front of us; so I decided that we should climb to try and get above the precipitation. In preparation; I asked for a climb to FL240 and turned the tks system on in the normal position. My temperature at 12000 ft was approximately 10 degrees C; and my temperature at FL240 was approximately -18 degrees celsius. About 5 mins prior to entering the clouds; we were switched to a different frequency which was riddled with static. I checked in and could barely hear the controller; but I was clearly able to make out we were cleared on course at FL240; and if we needed to deviate for WX to advise him. I advised the controller of my trouble hearing him; and he told me no other frequency was available. We were in VFR conditions for the majority of time over the areas of clouds or light precipitation; however; at one point we went into the clouds. I carefully monitored the wings for any sign of ice and didn't see anything for at least 5-10 mins. During this time I was having increasing difficulty understanding the controllers; and it appeared that others were having the same problem. At one point we realized that little bits of slush/ice were starting to accumulate on the wing; and it was at that time I realized I needed to get out of the clouds as quick as possible. I asked the controller for lower; and then specified I would like 10000 ft. I heard nothing back from him; all we were hearing was static. Moments later; I heard a stall warning horn; despite a 160 KT ground speed; and closely matching true airspeed. I once again queried ATC about a lower altitude and told them I would need to start a descent immediately. Amongst the static I could make out the controller telling me that I had been cleared down to 10000 ft. I said something to the effect of 'for xxxab the transmission was very hard to hear but I believe I was cleared down to 10000 ft.' a second later; the controller repeated his clearance that I was cleared down to 10000 ft; and I repeated that clearance to him and started my descent. I suspected a false indication of the stall warning horn; but I flew as if a stall were imminent. I was constantly paying attention to airspeed; which was in excess of 160 KIAS; with a ground speed of 180 KTS. At approximately 16000 ft; the ice/slush was completely gone. We broke out of the clouds around 13000 ft where I noticed it was raining and the temperature was near 8 degrees celsius. The controller gave me a different frequency to contact; and I did so. Upon checking in with the next controller; he asked me the nature of my emergency. I indicated to him that we were not in an emergency; and I didn't remember declaring an emergency. The controller proceeded to tell me that there was an emergency issued for me by another controller saying I was on battery power and my electrical system was in jeopardy. I advised him the electrical system was fine and our problem laid in getting ice at altitude. He asked for a PIREP on icing; and I gave him one including temperatures; altitudes; and type of ice. I told him FL240 started picking it up approximately -18 degrees; and clear of ice at our current 10000 ft and the temperature was 8 degrees. He asked the type of ice and I don't recall which I told him; but I believe it was rime; and I told him it was light; possibly moderate. I was hoping that ice would not form if I were above the precipitation; and the temperatures were cold enough. Apparently; I was wrong. The best way to prevent this from happening again is by everyone placing an emphasis on the dangers and realities of icing. Also; I wish while in school for aviation I would have been more sternly warned about ice formation; and now I wish more information were easily available.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CFI CLIMBS TO FL240 IN SR22 HOPING TO AVOID PRECIPITATION AHEAD. FAILS TO DO SO AND ICE ACCUMULATES FORCING A DESCENT TO PREVENT A STALL.

Narrative: MY PAX AND I NEARED A LARGE AREA OF PRECIP IN FRONT OF US; SO I DECIDED THAT WE SHOULD CLB TO TRY AND GET ABOVE THE PRECIP. IN PREPARATION; I ASKED FOR A CLB TO FL240 AND TURNED THE TKS SYS ON IN THE NORMAL POS. MY TEMP AT 12000 FT WAS APPROX 10 DEGS C; AND MY TEMP AT FL240 WAS APPROX -18 DEGS CELSIUS. ABOUT 5 MINS PRIOR TO ENTERING THE CLOUDS; WE WERE SWITCHED TO A DIFFERENT FREQ WHICH WAS RIDDLED WITH STATIC. I CHKED IN AND COULD BARELY HEAR THE CTLR; BUT I WAS CLRLY ABLE TO MAKE OUT WE WERE CLRED ON COURSE AT FL240; AND IF WE NEEDED TO DEVIATE FOR WX TO ADVISE HIM. I ADVISED THE CTLR OF MY TROUBLE HEARING HIM; AND HE TOLD ME NO OTHER FREQ WAS AVAILABLE. WE WERE IN VFR CONDITIONS FOR THE MAJORITY OF TIME OVER THE AREAS OF CLOUDS OR LIGHT PRECIP; HOWEVER; AT ONE POINT WE WENT INTO THE CLOUDS. I CAREFULLY MONITORED THE WINGS FOR ANY SIGN OF ICE AND DIDN'T SEE ANYTHING FOR AT LEAST 5-10 MINS. DURING THIS TIME I WAS HAVING INCREASING DIFFICULTY UNDERSTANDING THE CTLRS; AND IT APPEARED THAT OTHERS WERE HAVING THE SAME PROB. AT ONE POINT WE REALIZED THAT LITTLE BITS OF SLUSH/ICE WERE STARTING TO ACCUMULATE ON THE WING; AND IT WAS AT THAT TIME I REALIZED I NEEDED TO GET OUT OF THE CLOUDS AS QUICK AS POSSIBLE. I ASKED THE CTLR FOR LOWER; AND THEN SPECIFIED I WOULD LIKE 10000 FT. I HEARD NOTHING BACK FROM HIM; ALL WE WERE HEARING WAS STATIC. MOMENTS LATER; I HEARD A STALL WARNING HORN; DESPITE A 160 KT GND SPD; AND CLOSELY MATCHING TRUE AIRSPD. I ONCE AGAIN QUERIED ATC ABOUT A LOWER ALT AND TOLD THEM I WOULD NEED TO START A DSCNT IMMEDIATELY. AMONGST THE STATIC I COULD MAKE OUT THE CTLR TELLING ME THAT I HAD BEEN CLRED DOWN TO 10000 FT. I SAID SOMETHING TO THE EFFECT OF 'FOR XXXAB THE XMISSION WAS VERY HARD TO HEAR BUT I BELIEVE I WAS CLRED DOWN TO 10000 FT.' A SECOND LATER; THE CTLR REPEATED HIS CLRNC THAT I WAS CLRED DOWN TO 10000 FT; AND I REPEATED THAT CLRNC TO HIM AND STARTED MY DSCNT. I SUSPECTED A FALSE INDICATION OF THE STALL WARNING HORN; BUT I FLEW AS IF A STALL WERE IMMINENT. I WAS CONSTANTLY PAYING ATTN TO AIRSPD; WHICH WAS IN EXCESS OF 160 KIAS; WITH A GND SPD OF 180 KTS. AT APPROX 16000 FT; THE ICE/SLUSH WAS COMPLETELY GONE. WE BROKE OUT OF THE CLOUDS AROUND 13000 FT WHERE I NOTICED IT WAS RAINING AND THE TEMP WAS NEAR 8 DEGS CELSIUS. THE CTLR GAVE ME A DIFFERENT FREQ TO CONTACT; AND I DID SO. UPON CHKING IN WITH THE NEXT CTLR; HE ASKED ME THE NATURE OF MY EMER. I INDICATED TO HIM THAT WE WERE NOT IN AN EMER; AND I DIDN'T REMEMBER DECLARING AN EMER. THE CTLR PROCEEDED TO TELL ME THAT THERE WAS AN EMER ISSUED FOR ME BY ANOTHER CTLR SAYING I WAS ON BATTERY PWR AND MY ELECTRICAL SYS WAS IN JEOPARDY. I ADVISED HIM THE ELECTRICAL SYS WAS FINE AND OUR PROB LAID IN GETTING ICE AT ALT. HE ASKED FOR A PIREP ON ICING; AND I GAVE HIM ONE INCLUDING TEMPS; ALTS; AND TYPE OF ICE. I TOLD HIM FL240 STARTED PICKING IT UP APPROX -18 DEGS; AND CLR OF ICE AT OUR CURRENT 10000 FT AND THE TEMP WAS 8 DEGS. HE ASKED THE TYPE OF ICE AND I DON'T RECALL WHICH I TOLD HIM; BUT I BELIEVE IT WAS RIME; AND I TOLD HIM IT WAS LIGHT; POSSIBLY MODERATE. I WAS HOPING THAT ICE WOULD NOT FORM IF I WERE ABOVE THE PRECIP; AND THE TEMPS WERE COLD ENOUGH. APPARENTLY; I WAS WRONG. THE BEST WAY TO PREVENT THIS FROM HAPPENING AGAIN IS BY EVERYONE PLACING AN EMPHASIS ON THE DANGERS AND REALITIES OF ICING. ALSO; I WISH WHILE IN SCHOOL FOR AVIATION I WOULD HAVE BEEN MORE STERNLY WARNED ABOUT ICE FORMATION; AND NOW I WISH MORE INFO WERE EASILY AVAILABLE.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 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.