SMA ENCOUNTERS ICING; CLBS; DSNDS TO AVOID. DOES A 180 DEG TURN. CTLRS GIVE GOOD ASSISTANCE.

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DEPARTED HLG INTO FORECAST MODERATE/LCL SEVERE ICE ICIP WITH PIREPS OF LIGHT RIME/MIXED. ENTERED LIGHT RIME AT 3500 CONTINUED AT 4000 AND BECAME MODERATE RIME. REQUESTED 2000 AND GOT IT; BUT ICE CONTINUED. AFTER PIT APCH HANDED US OFF TO CAK APCH RECEIVED RPT OF MODERATE MIXED FROM 2000-4000 AT CAK (NEAR OUR DEST OF 1G3). REQUESTED AND RECEIVED RETURN TO HLG. ACFT HAD APPROX 1 INCH ICE ON WING AND TAIL; REQUIRED 25/25 PWR FOR LEVEL FLT. DURING TURN ONTO APCH (ILS 3 AT HLG)DSNDED TO 2700 (POSSIBLE ALT VIOLATION -- WE WERE CLRED FOR 3000). I WAS CONCERNED ABOUT TOO AGGRESSIVE USE OF CTLS AS AIRSPD WAS ONLY 100 KTS. LANDED AT HLG; ICE CAME OFF AT 2500 ON THE APCH. LESSONS: TURN BACK/CLB/DO SOMETHING ASAP WHEN ICE APPEARS. QUIZ BRIEFER ABOUT FORECAST MORE CLOSELY (WX IMPROVED WITHIN 90 MINS). NOTE: I'M USED TO USING DUAT; I THINK USING DUAT HAS 'HURT' MY ABILITY TO GET GOOD A 'LIVE' BRIEFING. I WOULD SAY 'ALWAYS TAKE ICING FORECAST SERIOUSLY' EXCEPT EXPERIENCE HAS SHOWN IT TO BE TOO CONSERVATIVE AND LIGHT ICING PIREPS WERE MORE BELIEVABLE. BETTER TOPS RPT WOULD HAVE HELPED A LOT (THEY WERE ONLY 1500 ABOVE ME AT APPROX 5500). LAST LESSON: MAYBE IT'S TIME FOR A TWIN WITH DEICE. THANK GOD FOR THE CAK AND PIT APCH CTLRS. THEY HELPED A BUNCH!