Narrative:

Filed IFR from XXX to ZZZ1. Charted MEA for this route is 5000 ft MSL. Filed altitude 5000 ft in order to remain clear of clouds; as temperatures were favorable for icing. After takeoff and handoff to departure; they told me 'I need you to be at 7000 ft -- you're flying over mountains.' I was still climbing for 5000 ft at the time. At approximately 6000 ft MSL; observed frost on the windscreen and subsequently verified that ice was also now on the wing leading edges. At this time; another aircraft called ATC to report light rime icing and requested a climb to on-top. I called ATC immediately afterwards and also reported icing and requested a climb to on-top; and was approved for 9000 ft. RPM's began decreasing; and I pulled carburetor heat to compensate. Carburetor icing remained a problem throughout the remainder of this event; and ultimately rate of climb was reduced to 200 FPM before I broke out on top at approximately 8000 ft MSL. I don't understand why ATC put me into the clouds in the first place; as the filed altitude complied with the charted MEA. I found no NOTAMS to change the MEA. Arguing about it on the radio didn't seem like a desirable action at the time; though it seemed more desirable after the ice started accumulating! Lessons learned: I failed to lean with carburetor heat pulled at relatively high altitude; which left me with fewer RPM's than I might have had; and consequently with a slower rate of climb; which made the problem worse than it otherwise would have been. If the tops had been a couple thousand ft higher; it is possible that I might have run out of climb power before reaching the tops; which would have been a critical problem. Additionally; in the same situation in future; I might be inclined to request clarification from ATC. I don't want to antagonize the controllers; but I also don't want to be put into an emergency situation needlessly.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN AA5 PILOT EXPERIENCED AIRFRAME AND CARBURETOR ICING AND STATED ATC COULD HAVE BEEN OF MORE HELP.

Narrative: FILED IFR FROM XXX TO ZZZ1. CHARTED MEA FOR THIS RTE IS 5000 FT MSL. FILED ALT 5000 FT IN ORDER TO REMAIN CLEAR OF CLOUDS; AS TEMPS WERE FAVORABLE FOR ICING. AFTER TKOF AND HDOF TO DEP; THEY TOLD ME 'I NEED YOU TO BE AT 7000 FT -- YOU'RE FLYING OVER MOUNTAINS.' I WAS STILL CLBING FOR 5000 FT AT THE TIME. AT APPROX 6000 FT MSL; OBSERVED FROST ON THE WINDSCREEN AND SUBSEQUENTLY VERIFIED THAT ICE WAS ALSO NOW ON THE WING LEADING EDGES. AT THIS TIME; ANOTHER ACFT CALLED ATC TO RPT LIGHT RIME ICING AND REQUESTED A CLB TO ON-TOP. I CALLED ATC IMMEDIATELY AFTERWARDS AND ALSO RPTED ICING AND REQUESTED A CLB TO ON-TOP; AND WAS APPROVED FOR 9000 FT. RPM'S BEGAN DECREASING; AND I PULLED CARB HEAT TO COMPENSATE. CARB ICING REMAINED A PROB THROUGHOUT THE REMAINDER OF THIS EVENT; AND ULTIMATELY RATE OF CLB WAS REDUCED TO 200 FPM BEFORE I BROKE OUT ON TOP AT APPROX 8000 FT MSL. I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY ATC PUT ME INTO THE CLOUDS IN THE FIRST PLACE; AS THE FILED ALT COMPLIED WITH THE CHARTED MEA. I FOUND NO NOTAMS TO CHANGE THE MEA. ARGUING ABOUT IT ON THE RADIO DIDN'T SEEM LIKE A DESIRABLE ACTION AT THE TIME; THOUGH IT SEEMED MORE DESIRABLE AFTER THE ICE STARTED ACCUMULATING! LESSONS LEARNED: I FAILED TO LEAN WITH CARB HEAT PULLED AT RELATIVELY HIGH ALT; WHICH LEFT ME WITH FEWER RPM'S THAN I MIGHT HAVE HAD; AND CONSEQUENTLY WITH A SLOWER RATE OF CLB; WHICH MADE THE PROB WORSE THAN IT OTHERWISE WOULD HAVE BEEN. IF THE TOPS HAD BEEN A COUPLE THOUSAND FT HIGHER; IT IS POSSIBLE THAT I MIGHT HAVE RUN OUT OF CLB POWER BEFORE REACHING THE TOPS; WHICH WOULD HAVE BEEN A CRITICAL PROB. ADDITIONALLY; IN THE SAME SITUATION IN FUTURE; I MIGHT BE INCLINED TO REQUEST CLARIFICATION FROM ATC. I DON'T WANT TO ANTAGONIZE THE CTLRS; BUT I ALSO DON'T WANT TO BE PUT INTO AN EMER SITUATION NEEDLESSLY.

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.