Iceing storys in GA airplanes

[DUATS]

I got ice on the way down in a Cherokee 180. Had climbed to 11,500 to stay on top, but the clouds kept rising. An airport about 35nm ahead was reporting 7000 overcast, so I figured I would make my way down and it would be OK. Ice started adhering as soon as I hit the clouds, and didn't stop all the way down. I wound up declaring an emergency and landing at a small airport with an estimated 300 foot ceiling and less than 2 miles visibility. This was in the days before GPS, and I didn't have DME. I didn't have enough altitude to get to the IAP for the approach - so I consider myself lucky for not having hit anything.

The plane had over 3 inches of ice on the leading edge and windshield, and it extended on the bottom of the wing at least a foot. Full power yielded a nice 500 fpm descent.

I'm glad summer is here!

 

[414Flyer]

My winter job involves flying a C90 and looking for icing conditions, for cloud seeding to increase snowpack over the mountains. Scared myself more than once, with some rapid buildup that required full power to keep flying.

 

[Tired Soul]

What's wrong with this picture:

• At night
• Over the Rocky mountains
• 12,000'
• Pa28

Then they issue an Airmet for icing.
We spent about a minute in IMC and you could see the ice grow on the leading edge.
Took another hour and a half for the ice to sublimate off in VMC
One of the 4-5 oh-sh-t moments in my flying life.
Don't mess with ice.