Flight Crew Flight Instructor; Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP); Flight Crew Flight Engineer
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 50; Flight Crew Total 13000; Flight Crew Type 200
Situational Awareness
Inflight Event / Encounter Weather / Turbulence
Air Traffic Control Issued New Clearance; Flight Crew Requested ATC Assistance / Clarification
Human Factors; Weather
Planned trip to occur during the afternoon. Initially planned as an IFR trip but before takeoff; elected to proceed VFR to remain below the cloud bases and possible icing conditions. Flight proceeded as planned but at just over the halfway point; lowering cloud conditions forced a cruise altitude of 1;000 feet AGL. Finding this to be uncomfortable; I contacted Center to request an IFR clearance to my destination. Once granted; I climbed to 5;000 feet. I had previously reviewed icing charts which indicated that once past the halfway point; there would be no icing at 5;000 feet. Furthermore; a pilot on frequency (by this time; Approach Control); reported VMC; between layers and no icing. During descent for the RNAV approach; detected trace icing which became light rime as the approach progressed. Nearing the ground; the ice began to disappear as I encountered warmer temperatures. The airplane's handling was unaffected and the approach and landing were otherwise uneventful.With the clarity of hindsight; instead of requesting an IFR clearance and climbing; I would have initiated a 180 degree turn and returned to my departure airport or a suitable deviation airport. My airplane is not configured for icing conditions and NO ICE has to be my rule. Even though the winds aloft forecast indicated that I should have been below the freezing level; when it's close; sometimes it doesn't go your way. Won't do that again; not worth it.
PA-32 pilot reported encountering clouds and possible icing that required a pop-up IFR clearance to complete the flight.