INFLT ENCOUNTER WITH FREEZING RAIN IN A C-172.

Narrative

THIS RPT IS BEING SUBMITTED BECAUSE FIREMEN; ON THE MONROE ARPT FIRE TRUCKS; SAID I HAD TO FILE A RPT. I DO NOT FEEL THIS WARRANTS A RPT; NOR DID AOPA; WHEN I CALLED TO FIND OUT WHAT RPT TO FILE. THE FAA DID NOT REQUEST A RPT. THE WX WAS VFR WITH A BROKEN CEILING RPTED BY ATIS TO BE AT 7000 FT. VISIBILITY WAS 7 MI WITH SOME HAZE (WHICH IS ABOUT NORMAL FOR MONROE). GND TEMP WAS 47 DEGS FAHRENHEIT AND I BELIEVE ATIS RPTED THE DEW POINT TO BE 27 DEGS FAHRENHEIT. WX HAD INDICATED SOME ICING IN THE SHREVEPORT AND NATCHITOCHES AREA BUT NONE NEAR MONROE. MONROE ATIS RPTED NOTHING UNUSUAL AND THE WX WAS DEFINITELY VFR. MY FLT WAS TO THE SE PRACTICE TRAINING AREA FOR SOME MAINT CHKS. I HAD EXPERIENCED A SLIGHT OIL LEAK AND IT HAD SUPPOSEDLY BEEN REPAIRED. I ALSO WAS CHKING MY ATTITUDE INDICATOR BECAUSE IT SEEMED SLOW TO ERECT ON THE LAST FLT. I MAINTAIN MY PLANE (A CESSNA 172) IN TOP CONDITION HAVING HAD IT ALMOST TOTALLY REBUILT DURING THE LAST 4 YRS. I CHK EVERYTHING AND GET IT FIXED IMMEDIATELY. DEP RTED ME N OF THE ARPT INITIALLY SO THAT BY THE TIME I REACHED THE PRACTICE AREA I WAS AT MY ASSIGNED ALT OF 2500 FT. SHORTLY AFTER THAT I FLEW INTO AN AREA OF LIGHT FREEZING RAIN WHICH COULD NOT BE SEEN AHEAD. THERE WAS NO INDICATION OF RAIN UNTIL I WAS IN IT. VISIBILITY WAS PERFECTLY CLR AHEAD UNTIL; ALMOST IMMEDIATELY; MY WINDSHIELD WAS COMPLETELY ICED OVER. BOTH SIDE WINDOWS STAYED CLR; HOWEVER. I CALLED APCH AND TOLD THEM I HAD ICING AND WOULD LIKE TO RETURN. I DID NOT DECLARE AN EMER BECAUSE ONE WASN'T NEEDED. I WAS SURE THAT AS I REDUCED ALT THE ICE WOULD CLR AND I HAD TOTAL SIDE VISIBILITY -- PLUS ALL INSTS WERE WORKING FINE. I NEVER FELT UNEASY BECAUSE I HAVE FLOWN FOR MANY YRS AND EVEN IF THE SIDE WINDOWS ICED; I COULD OPEN THE SIDE WINDOW. AS I REDUCED ALT I CONTINUED TO TALK TO APCH. BOTH MY LORAN AND VOR INDICATOR WERE LOCKED IN ON THE ARPT BUT WHEN APCH OFFERED TO FEED ME HDGS; I ACCEPTED. APCH ALLOWED ME ONE PASS OVER THE FIELD TO GET PROPERLY ORIENTED WITH NO FORWARD VISIBILITY; THEN I LANDED SIMILAR TO WHEN I FLEW TAILDRAGGERS. YOU HAVE LITTLE FORWARD VISIBILITY ON FINAL AND YOU FISHTAIL; IF NECESSARY; TO SEE AT EACH SIDE. AS I TURNED FINAL THE ICE STARTED TO CLR AND GAVE ME A LITTLE FORWARD VISIBILITY. I LANDED WITHOUT INCIDENT AND TAXIED BACK TO THE HANGAR - - ONLY TO FIND I WAS BEING FOLLOWED BY FIRE TRUCKS WHICH THE TWR HAD REQUESTED. THEY FILLED OUT A RPT AND SAID I HAD TO FILE ONE -- AND HERE IT IS.