Date: 201701
Local time of day: 1801-2400
Location: ZZZ.Airport, US
Weather elements / visibility: Icing; 3
Light: Night
Aircraft: SR22
Operator: Personal
Operating under: Part 91
Flight plan: IFR
Mission: Passenger
Flight phase: Cruise
Airspace: Class E ZZZ
ATC / advisory: Center ZZZ
Aircraft component: Propeller Ice System
Component problem: Failed
Reporter organization: Personal
Reporter function: Single Pilot
Reporter qualification: Flight Crew Multiengine; Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP); Flight Crew Flight Instructor
Human factors: Situational Awareness
Anomaly: Aircraft Equipment Problem Critical; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Inflight Event / Encounter Weather / Turbulence
Detector: Person Flight Crew
When detected: In-flight
Result: Air Traffic Control Issued New Clearance; Air Traffic Control Provided Assistance; Flight Crew Diverted; Flight Crew Landed As Precaution; Flight Crew Requested ATC Assistance / Clarification
Contributing factors: Weather; Human Factors; Aircraft
Primary problem: Aircraft

Narrative: My intent was to stay VFR below the clouds. [Destination] was VFR as were most of the airports on the route. I knew of clouds [enroute] that could produce ice. My intent was to stay below these clouds. Unfortunately I was unable to remain VFR due to rain showers. I activated my IFR flight plan and climbed to 5;000 feet. I turned on the TKS anti-ice. I noticed that we began picking up light to moderate ice. I asked for lower in an attempt to get out of the clouds. ATC said that lower was not available. I was told the tops were somewhere around 8000 to 10000 and that [an airport] about 30 NM north had no reports of ice. I asked to climb in order to get out of the ice. I was given a climb to 10;000 feet or so. Between 8;000 and 9;000 feet I could no longer climb at 90 kts indicated. I [advised ATC] and asked to escape out over the Pacific Ocean. I told ATC that I had synthetic vision and could take responsibility for terrain clearance. [Destination] was reporting 6 degrees C. I was told that I should do an approach to [a nearby alternate]. I was unfamiliar with this airport. I asked for radar vectors to final. ATC said unable and gave me a fix to fly to on the approach. I asked for lower altitude immediately. I think they cleared me to 5;500 feet. I typed the approach into the FMS. I noticed that it was a non-precision approach; with a dog leg; and not a straight in. I asked what length of runway [they] had. They said 5;000 feet. They then said to take down a phone number. I said that I was busy and unable. They then said to switch to UNICOM. I asked for the frequency. On the approach the ice broke off the propeller. Also at around 800 AGL the ice broke off the windscreen so that I could see. I used synthetic vision to align with the runway. I had the passenger read off AGL altitudes. I went missed approach on the first attempt because I was flying at 90 kts and could not make an acceptable turn to final. I decided to land at 90 kts with the flaps up. I made a successful landing on the second attempt. I called Center and told them that we were safe on deck. They told me to squawk VFR. I took the aircraft to maintenance and learned that my propeller de-ice had failed. That explains why I could not climb to VMC and why the windshield iced up.




Synopsis: SR22 pilot reported diverting to an alternate when he began picking up ice and could not climb out of it because his propeller de-ice system failed.