WHILE CLBING IFR; RPTR ENCOUNTERED ICE; ATTEMPTED TO CONTACT APCH AND; WHEN UNABLE; COMMENCED DSCNT WITHOUT AWAITING CLRNC.

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I WAS AT APPROX 4000 FT CLBING TO AN ASSIGNED ALT OF 7000 FT WHEN I BEGAN TO PICK UP ICE. I RPTED THE ICE TO CHICAGO ATC. SHORTLY THEREAFTER; CHICAGO HANDED ME OFF TO SOUTH BEND APCH. DURING MY INITIAL CALL TO SOUTH BEND; I BEGAN TO PICK UP ICE QUITE RAPIDLY. MY CALL WAS UNANSWERED AND I TRIED 3 MORE TIMES TO CONTACT SOUTH BEND. THOUGH I COULD HEAR SOUTH BEND TALKING WITH OTHER ACFT; MY CALLS WERE NEVER ANSWERED. DURING THIS TIME I'D REACHED ABOUT 6000 FT AND WAS UNABLE TO CLB ANY HIGHER DUE TO THE ICE. I INITIATED A DSCNT AND ATTEMPTED TO RECONTACT CHICAGO ATC. CHICAGO ANSWERED MY CALL IMMEDIATELY AND CRITICIZED ME FOR DSNDING. I EXPLAINED MY PROB AND WAS CLRED FOR A LOWER ALT BELOW THE CLOUDS. AGAIN CHICAGO HANDED ME OFF TO SOUTH BEND ON THE SAME FREQ I'D TRIED EARLIER. THIS TIME COM WITH SOUTH BEND PROCEEDED NORMALLY. I APOLOGIZED TO SOUTH BEND FOR MY DSCNT AND WAS ADVISED IN THE FUTURE TO TRY EVERYTHING I CAN TO MAINTAIN ALT. I AGREE THAT I SHOULD HAVE ATTEMPTED TO CONTACT CHICAGO BEFORE DSNDING. I BLAME MY INEXPERIENCE WITH REAL ICING CONDITIONS FOR PRECIPITATING A MILD PANIC ON MY PART WHICH KEPT ME FROM TRYING ALL OTHER ALTERNATIVES BEFORE DSNDING.