Piper Single Undifferentiated or Other Model
Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Flight Instructor; Flight Crew Commercial; Flight Crew Multiengine
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 60; Flight Crew Total 700; Flight Crew Type 120
Situational Awareness
Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural FAR; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Inflight Event / Encounter Weather / Turbulence
Air Traffic Control Issued New Clearance; Flight Crew Diverted; Flight Crew Landed As Precaution; Flight Crew Requested ATC Assistance / Clarification
Human Factors; Weather
This morning a student and I decided to attempt a [cross country flight] to finish up the complex time needed for his single engine commercial initial. At the beginning of the flight; he needed 4 hours and wanted to finish the hours prior to going back to [base] due to aircraft availability. We had moved up our start time as well due to the fact he needed more hours than I had us scheduled for. We decided to file IFR since there was a cell moving through the beginning of our route and it would be hard to see and avoid the clouds at night. We had filed for 9000 FT where it was about 0 degrees on the winds aloft. We decided that altitude with that temp because we thought that we would have been between a layer for a little bit and completely on top of the cell. Once we were airborne; we were cleared direct; which had put us right in the middle of the cell. Once reaching 7500 I saw that the OAT was 0 and the rain started to stick to our windshield. I told Approach; and asked for 7000 which was at 2 degrees. So we maintained 7000 and was experiencing moderate precipitation. The temperature [then] dropped to 0 again and we asked for 6000 which was 4 degrees. [ATC] let us stay at 6000 until we needed to be vectored higher for terrain. We attempted to climb and once we were at 7000; we noticed that the rain had turned to snow and the outside temp was 0 degrees. At that point; the snow was not sticking to our aircraft but [we] decided it was best to divert to [a nearby alternate]. When looking at the ceiling forecast; fully expect it to be wrong. We should have taken a more in depth look at the situation and think about what we were trying to accomplish and how best to do that. I believe that the hazardous attitude of invulnerability and impulsiveness played a major role in our current situation. If we had taken our time instead of trying to rush to get his hours done; that would have been the best outcome.
GA flight instructor reported diverting to an alternate airport after encountering ice and snow enroute to the planned destination.