Instructor on light aircraft encounters IMC, completes flight under instrument flight rules, however...

Attributes
ACN	114188
Time
Date	198906
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0001 To 0600
Place
Locale Reference	airport : dov
State Reference	DE
Altitude	agl bound lower : 400 agl bound upper : 460
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : dov
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other descent : approach descent other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	instruction : instructor oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : cfi pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 240 flight time total : 1000 flight time type : 400
ASRS Report	114188
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	instruction : trainee
Qualification	pilot : private
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : weather non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

The problem arose when on the last leg of a night cross country trip. We departed wwd to dover AFB in MVFR, 3-5 visibility, ceiling 2000'. Our WX briefer had told us the trip would be VFR at all times. Over the dark delaware bay we lost visual reference due to the lack of lights over the water but continued on with 3-5 mi visibility. As we neared dover, the approach controller told us that dover was 400' scattered. As I looked down below, I could see the low layer of clouds become overcast to broken and requested an approach to 19. The localizer approach was shot down to minimums with no incident. After tying down the aircraft I found out that the act was technically not IFR equipped due to a pitot static system checkout. What led to this situation was a lack of planning for possible IFR WX even though we were supposed to have VFR WX throughout the trip. We ended up having to shoot an approach in IFR conditions in a non IFR aircraft. I knew I was IFR current but did not pay much attention to the aircraft's currency as well. The lesson I learned from this: never fly at night out of the local airport area with anything less than a full IFR capable aircraft. Always regard a WX briefing as a forecast, and that WX conditions can change rapidly, especially at airports near large bodies of water. Always bring your current approach plates and stay IFR current if you fly at night (this was probably the only thing I did right that night).

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: INSTRUCTOR ON LIGHT ACFT ENCOUNTERS IMC, COMPLETES FLT UNDER INSTRUMENT FLT RULES, HOWEVER ACFT NOT CURRENT FOR INSTRUMENT FLT DUE LACK OF PITOT STATIC INSPECTION.

Narrative: THE PROBLEM AROSE WHEN ON THE LAST LEG OF A NIGHT CROSS COUNTRY TRIP. WE DEPARTED WWD TO DOVER AFB IN MVFR, 3-5 VISIBILITY, CEILING 2000'. OUR WX BRIEFER HAD TOLD US THE TRIP WOULD BE VFR AT ALL TIMES. OVER THE DARK DELAWARE BAY WE LOST VISUAL REFERENCE DUE TO THE LACK OF LIGHTS OVER THE WATER BUT CONTINUED ON WITH 3-5 MI VISIBILITY. AS WE NEARED DOVER, THE APCH CTLR TOLD US THAT DOVER WAS 400' SCATTERED. AS I LOOKED DOWN BELOW, I COULD SEE THE LOW LAYER OF CLOUDS BECOME OVERCAST TO BROKEN AND REQUESTED AN APCH TO 19. THE LOC APCH WAS SHOT DOWN TO MINIMUMS WITH NO INCIDENT. AFTER TYING DOWN THE ACFT I FOUND OUT THAT THE ACT WAS TECHNICALLY NOT IFR EQUIPPED DUE TO A PITOT STATIC SYSTEM CHECKOUT. WHAT LED TO THIS SITUATION WAS A LACK OF PLANNING FOR POSSIBLE IFR WX EVEN THOUGH WE WERE SUPPOSED TO HAVE VFR WX THROUGHOUT THE TRIP. WE ENDED UP HAVING TO SHOOT AN APCH IN IFR CONDITIONS IN A NON IFR ACFT. I KNEW I WAS IFR CURRENT BUT DID NOT PAY MUCH ATTN TO THE ACFT'S CURRENCY AS WELL. THE LESSON I LEARNED FROM THIS: NEVER FLY AT NIGHT OUT OF THE LOCAL ARPT AREA WITH ANYTHING LESS THAN A FULL IFR CAPABLE ACFT. ALWAYS REGARD A WX BRIEFING AS A FORECAST, AND THAT WX CONDITIONS CAN CHANGE RAPIDLY, ESPECIALLY AT ARPTS NEAR LARGE BODIES OF WATER. ALWAYS BRING YOUR CURRENT APCH PLATES AND STAY IFR CURRENT IF YOU FLY AT NIGHT (THIS WAS PROBABLY THE ONLY THING I DID RIGHT THAT NIGHT).

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.

Instructor on light aircraft encounters IMC, completes flight under instrument flight rules, however aircraft not current for instrument flight due lack of pitot static inspection.