PVT INST RATED PLT OF AN SMA SEL FLEW INTO FORECASTED AND ACTUAL ICING CONDITIONS WITHOUT ANY ANTI- OR DEICE EQUIP FOR DISPOSING OF THE ICE. UNDER PART 91 OPS; THERE ARE NO STIPULATIONS OR REQUIREMENTS FOR ACFT ICE REMOVAL. KNOWN ICING CONDITIONS ARE JUST WHAT IT IMPLIES; SUCH AS RECENT PIREP OR OBSERVATIONS.

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THIS WAS AN IFR FLT IN A SEL PLANE WITHOUT DEICING EQUIP. THE PLANE ACCUMULATED A TRACE TO LIGHT RIME ICE -- MOSTLY ON THE ELEVATOR; AT SEVERAL POINTS ENRTE. THERE WERE NO CTL PROBS AND THE FLT ENDED WITHOUT INCIDENT. THERE WAS AN AIRMET FOR LIGHT TO MODERATE RIME ICING BUT PIREPS MENTIONED ONLY A TRACE OF ICING AND CEILINGS WERE GENERALLY 20-30 OVCST WITH GOOD VISIBILITY (ACCORDING TO FORECASTS). THERE ARE 2 ISSUES HERE: 1) HOW DOES ONE DETERMINE WHEN ICING IN A PARTICULAR LOCATION IS KNOWN; IE; WHAT IS THE DEFINITION OF 'KNOWN ICING.' 2) HOW TO BE SAFE WHEN FLYING IN AN AREA WHERE THERE IS WIDESPREAD POTENTIAL FOR ICE. I DON'T KNOW THE ANSWER TO ITEM #1 -- JUST A COMMENT: TO NOT FLY WHENEVER ICE MIGHT BE POSSIBLE WOULD PRECLUDE WINTER IFR FLYING IN SMALL PLANES. AS FOR SAFETY; I; PERHAPS; SHOULD HAVE TERMINATED THE FLT BEFORE FLYING INTO AN AREA OF SUCH WIDESPREAD ICING POTENTIAL. THERE WASN'T AN EASY OUT IF THERE HAD BEEN ANY PROBS; WITH ICING OR OTHERWISE. THE FORECAST DIDN'T SOUND BAD TO ME; BUT GETTING CAUGHT WITHOUT AN EASY WAY OUT WAS VERY UNCOMFORTABLE. THE CONCLUSION: FLYING A SMALL PLANE WHEN ICING IS POSSIBLE REQUIRES A PLAN OF ESCAPE IN CASE CONDITIONS BECOME DANGEROUS.