<< >> NASA ASRS Report 107292, March 1989

VFR pilot became trapped in close proximity of clouds with electrical problem. Not certain if he entered TRSA nearby. Did not call facility.

Attributes
ACN	107292
Time
Date	198903
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : gpt airport : pcu
State Reference	MS
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3500 msl bound upper : 7000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : gpt
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude cruise other descent other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 15 flight time total : 250
ASRS Report	107292
Person 2
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 15 flight time total : 250
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe inflight encounter : weather other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course flight crew : exited penetrated airspace flight crew : exited adverse environment
Consequence	other Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I left picayune, ms, clouds scattered at about 1500'. I took an easterly heading of approximately 60 degrees off PCU VOR and climbed above the scattered clouds. I continued to climb to about 3500'. I flew into a pocket where clouds on both sides did not allow me enough room to turn around. About this time the ammeter became erratic. My attention focused on the ammeter and I turned off the radios and lights several times trying to eliminate the discharge of the ammeter. I had to continue to climb in order to maintain VFR and during this time I also made several turns right and left to maintain VFR conditions. Clouds were now overcast to broken. I am instrument rated but my attention was focused on my immediate problem and I did not want to penetrate the clouds not knowing if my radios would hold out. I never switched my navigation to the gulfport VOR as I was too alarmed about my problem. I found an opening large enough to safely descend which was about 18 mi from PCU on a 240 degree heading. I climbed to about 7000' before returning to PCU at 1000'. I believe I entered gulfport controled airspace west/O making radio contact. I could not give my exact position at all times because of my problem. I believe I need more emergency training for future problems rather than being taught just to fly the plane. I was also afraid to call gulfport after realizing I might have entered the TRSA. The shield wire which serves as a ground was found to be loose.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: VFR PLT BECAME TRAPPED IN CLOSE PROX OF CLOUDS WITH ELECTRICAL PROBLEM. NOT CERTAIN IF HE ENTERED TRSA NEARBY. DID NOT CALL FAC.

Narrative: I LEFT PICAYUNE, MS, CLOUDS SCATTERED AT ABOUT 1500'. I TOOK AN EASTERLY HDG OF APPROX 60 DEGS OFF PCU VOR AND CLBED ABOVE THE SCATTERED CLOUDS. I CONTINUED TO CLB TO ABOUT 3500'. I FLEW INTO A POCKET WHERE CLOUDS ON BOTH SIDES DID NOT ALLOW ME ENOUGH ROOM TO TURN AROUND. ABOUT THIS TIME THE AMMETER BECAME ERRATIC. MY ATTN FOCUSED ON THE AMMETER AND I TURNED OFF THE RADIOS AND LIGHTS SEVERAL TIMES TRYING TO ELIMINATE THE DISCHARGE OF THE AMMETER. I HAD TO CONTINUE TO CLB IN ORDER TO MAINTAIN VFR AND DURING THIS TIME I ALSO MADE SEVERAL TURNS RIGHT AND LEFT TO MAINTAIN VFR CONDITIONS. CLOUDS WERE NOW OVCST TO BROKEN. I AM INSTRUMENT RATED BUT MY ATTN WAS FOCUSED ON MY IMMEDIATE PROB AND I DID NOT WANT TO PENETRATE THE CLOUDS NOT KNOWING IF MY RADIOS WOULD HOLD OUT. I NEVER SWITCHED MY NAV TO THE GULFPORT VOR AS I WAS TOO ALARMED ABOUT MY PROB. I FOUND AN OPENING LARGE ENOUGH TO SAFELY DSND WHICH WAS ABOUT 18 MI FROM PCU ON A 240 DEG HDG. I CLBED TO ABOUT 7000' BEFORE RETURNING TO PCU AT 1000'. I BELIEVE I ENTERED GULFPORT CTLED AIRSPACE W/O MAKING RADIO CONTACT. I COULD NOT GIVE MY EXACT POS AT ALL TIMES BECAUSE OF MY PROB. I BELIEVE I NEED MORE EMER TRNING FOR FUTURE PROBS RATHER THAN BEING TAUGHT JUST TO FLY THE PLANE. I WAS ALSO AFRAID TO CALL GULFPORT AFTER REALIZING I MIGHT HAVE ENTERED THE TRSA. THE SHIELD WIRE WHICH SERVES AS A GND WAS FOUND TO BE LOOSE.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.