Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172
Flight Crew Commercial; Flight Crew Multiengine; Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Flight Instructor
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 160; Flight Crew Total 580; Flight Crew Type 300
Situational Awareness
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; Flight Crew Took Evasive Action; General Flight Cancelled / Delayed
Weather
I was on a solo flight and the temperatures were near freezing (2C). I was flying at 6000 ft. The conditions were VFR BKN 20;000 so good visibility. I was on an IFR flight plan so I was in contact with KC Center. Everything was smooth. I looked off to the left and noticed the strobe lights reflecting some precipitation. I turned on my landing light and saw rain/sleet/flurries coming at me. So I called ATC and asked for lower. I went down to 4000 ft. The precipitation was still coming and I asked for lower again; so I went down to 3000 ft. At this point ATC LOST RADAR CONTACT because I was too low. The precip was still there and I wasn't going to go any lower. So I started thinking about either turning around or diverting. Fortunately Effingham's city lights were right in front of me. I definitely had to make some quick decisions. I called up ATC; requested a diversion. Moments later after I requested to divert the precip intensified and it felt like I was in a blizzard. The visibility dropped rapidly from like 10nm to 3nm and the precip increased. In retrospect I believe I hit a small cell. But anyways the precip was increasing and the visibility decreasing; I asked ATC for vectors but they couldn't give any because of the size of the airport so I ended up doing the GPS 11 approach. The ATC controller wanted me to do the full procedure; but in that situation I didn't have time to stay out and accumulate icing; so I turned for the FAF (final approach fix) and told the controller. The controller cleared me for the approach and then I had a normal landing.
A C172 pilot reported encountering rain; sleet; and icing enroute. He made some quick decisions that included diverting to exit the weather and a modified instrument approach to minimize his time in the icing.