SR22
Flight Crew Multiengine; Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP); Flight Crew Flight Instructor
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 100; Flight Crew Total 6100; Flight Crew Type 70
Situational Awareness
Aircraft Equipment Problem Critical; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Inflight Event / Encounter Weather / Turbulence
Air Traffic Control Issued New Clearance; Air Traffic Control Provided Assistance; Flight Crew Diverted; Flight Crew Landed As Precaution; Flight Crew Requested ATC Assistance / Clarification
Weather; Human Factors; Aircraft
My intent was to stay VFR below the clouds. [Destination] was VFR as were most of the airports on the route. I knew of clouds [enroute] that could produce ice. My intent was to stay below these clouds. Unfortunately I was unable to remain VFR due to rain showers. I activated my IFR flight plan and climbed to 5;000 feet. I turned on the TKS anti-ice. I noticed that we began picking up light to moderate ice. I asked for lower in an attempt to get out of the clouds. ATC said that lower was not available. I was told the tops were somewhere around 8000 to 10000 and that [an airport] about 30 NM north had no reports of ice. I asked to climb in order to get out of the ice. I was given a climb to 10;000 feet or so. Between 8;000 and 9;000 feet I could no longer climb at 90 kts indicated. I [advised ATC] and asked to escape out over the Pacific Ocean. I told ATC that I had synthetic vision and could take responsibility for terrain clearance. [Destination] was reporting 6 degrees C. I was told that I should do an approach to [a nearby alternate]. I was unfamiliar with this airport. I asked for radar vectors to final. ATC said unable and gave me a fix to fly to on the approach. I asked for lower altitude immediately. I think they cleared me to 5;500 feet. I typed the approach into the FMS. I noticed that it was a non-precision approach; with a dog leg; and not a straight in. I asked what length of runway [they] had. They said 5;000 feet. They then said to take down a phone number. I said that I was busy and unable. They then said to switch to UNICOM. I asked for the frequency. On the approach the ice broke off the propeller. Also at around 800 AGL the ice broke off the windscreen so that I could see. I used synthetic vision to align with the runway. I had the passenger read off AGL altitudes. I went missed approach on the first attempt because I was flying at 90 kts and could not make an acceptable turn to final. I decided to land at 90 kts with the flaps up. I made a successful landing on the second attempt. I called Center and told them that we were safe on deck. They told me to squawk VFR. I took the aircraft to maintenance and learned that my propeller de-ice had failed. That explains why I could not climb to VMC and why the windshield iced up.
SR22 pilot reported diverting to an alternate when he began picking up ice and could not climb out of it because his propeller de-ice system failed.