Commander 112/A/B/TC
Flight Crew Commercial; Flight Crew Instrument
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 61; Flight Crew Total 2990; Flight Crew Type 2990
Human-Machine Interface; Other / Unknown
Flight Deck / Cabin / Aircraft Event Other / Unknown; Inflight Event / Encounter Loss Of Aircraft Control; Inflight Event / Encounter Weather / Turbulence
Flight Crew Became Reoriented; Flight Crew Diverted; Flight Crew Regained Aircraft Control
Human Factors; Weather
I had been redirected from ZZZ to ZZZ1 (59 NM south).  The airport I had decided to land at to pick up additional fuel was closed. ZZZ had no weather reporting on the field. I had called the airport prior to take off 5 hours earlier.  No one answered but the voice on the answering machine at ZZZ stated that the 'fuel prices on Airnav were correct!'  I now understand that in [some states] if the FBO does not answer it is because he is busy fueling or flying; in the north someone not answering means the airport is about to ice over or already has iced over and has a probability that it is closed.  Perhaps if the airport is closed that could be mentioned when we call the FBO. I should have asked for more NOTAMs concerning the possibility of all closed airports along my route of flight.  In the future my request for information on airports closures along the route of flight will be more extensive. Sunset was imminent and this area of the country is new to me.  The more things changed for the worse the more interest I had in parking the airplane and just spending the night in a hotel.  Always leave an out.  I read IFR refresher.  I did get to spend the night in a hotel; probably because I read IFR refresher. The area over the airport we were redirected to was in IMC. Ordinarily this would not have been an issue.  The AWOS indicated a 1;500 foot ceiling.  Things were going smoothly at this point. At 6;000 feet with no control input to cause a descent rate of over 500 feet a minute my VFR rated passenger told me that we were descending (I could see that and was trying to process why we were descending) and he further stated that I needed to 'fly the airplane.'  He took the controls and pulled back on the yoke.  The attitude indicator shifted to a very sharp indication of a left turn. The descent rate increased to about 1;500 feet/minute; I could not over power this person.  I told him; 'The airplane was flying a minute ago; let the airplane continue to fly.'  I hope I sounded as calm as I was trying to.  I doubt it.   He let off of the controls.  Later I reiterated that; 'your airplane/my airplane' prior to manipulating any controls in an airplane was a requirement when flying with me. The airplane was still in a descent with full power after he released the controls.  It took a while (probably not as long as it felt like) to discover that we had 'ice on the wings.'  We broke out into VMC and ATC asked what my intent was.  I explained that I needed to stay VFR for a minute and would 'like the RWY XX approach' into ZZZ1 in just a minute. I am at a low experience level as an IFR pilot. Less than 20 hours in actual IMC. I thought my passenger with over 50 years of aviation experience would be an asset in the cockpit.  In VMC he is a continuing source of information and a person I respect.  There is a difference between an IFR rated pilot and a VFR rated pilot.  I thought my VFR rated friend would be able to help with locating charts in the event we did get diverted.  This was not the case. Being diverted 59 NM south due to the iced over runways on the ground was already putting me in a level outside of my standard comfort range. I usually fly in [warmer states].  The point of my continued quest to fly using instruments is to slowly work toward an increased proficiency in IMC.  The majority of my flight instructors had minimal or no experience in actual IMC. I will be signing up for a course on 'icing' in the near future.  Prior to venturing north again.
Commander 112 pilot on an IFR flight plan reports diverting for fuel when the destination airport is found to be closed due to ice on the runways. Over the diversion airport at 6;000 feet the aircraft begins to accumulate ice and descend. The private (non instrument rated) pilot in the right seat takes the controls and makes the situation much worse. When the reporter can convince the other pilot to release the controls the aircraft is recovered in VMC below the 1;500 foot overcast.