CORP ACFT ENCOUNTERS ICE DURING CLB CRUISE.

Narrative

ON AN IFR IN VMC; GIVEN CLB TO 5000 FT (FROM 4000 FT). THIS PUT ME INTERMITTENTLY THROUGH THE BASES OF SCATTERED TO BROKEN CLOUDS ABOUT 300-500 FT THICK. REQUESTED HIGHER. THIS PUT ME JUST UNDER AN OVCST WHICH LOWERED AS I FLEW N. TEMP WAS PLUS 10 DEGS F. PICKED UP VERY LIGHT (TRACE) ICE ON WINDSCREEN. REQUESTED LOWER AND WAS TOLD 'STANDBY' THEN 'CONTACT ZMP ON XXX.X.' HAD A GOOD DEAL OF PROBS MAKING CONTACT. ICE (CLR) HAD FORMED A LIGHT TRACE ON WING LEADING EDGE. COULD NOT GET LOWER WITHOUT AN ARGUMENT. ICING WAS VERY LIGHT AND CLOUD WAS BARELY A CLOUD. I COULD SEE LIGHT ABOVE; PROBABLY CLR 1000 FT UP SO ASKED FOR HIGHER. NOW; I HAVE SPENT 45 YRS PREACHING NEVER CLB OUT OF ICE IN A PLANE WITH LIMITED CLB CAPACITY BUT; OF COURSE; WHEN RIGHT IN THE TOP; I HAVE DONE SO SUCCESSFULLY MANY TIMES SO I PROCEEDED TO CLB THE FEW HUNDRED FEET TO ON TOP. (BOTH MY ESTIMATE AND THE TOPS RPTED IN MY PREFLT BRIEFING). THERE WAS NO TOP! I CLBED TO 9000 FT AND NEVER GOT OUT OF THE CLOUD. THE TOP APPEARED TO BE LESS THAN 1000 FT AWAY FROM 5000-9000 FT. BY 9000 FT IT WAS OBVIOUS TO ME THAT I NEEDED TO GET OUT (IT HAD BEEN SEVERAL MINS) I WAS CLRED DOWN TO 5000 FT WHICH WAS NOW VMC. CONTINUED CLR OF CLOUDS TO DEST. LOTS OF CLR ICE AND A 25 KT CRUISE LOSS. I HAVE OBSERVED THIS PHENOMENON OF THIN CLOUDS GOING UP THOUSANDS OF FT; ALWAYS IN THE WINTER; ALWAYS VERY COLD. NEVER BEFORE CONTAINING ICE; NEVER TOO OLD TO LEARN; NEVER TOO OLD TO NEED TO LEARN.