In-flight WX encounter. ATC flight assist.

Attributes
ACN	114546
Time
Date	198906
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : sth
State Reference	PA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 8500 msl bound upper : 8500
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zdc artcc : zjx
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 30 flight time total : 440
ASRS Report	114546
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : vfr in imc non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : provided flight assist none taken : unable other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

In cruise from N82 (wurtsboro, ny) to cincinnati via morgantown, wv, at 8500', crossed over harrisburg and began contact with harrisburg tower then ZDC. Ceiling was above 10,000' with a broken undercast at about 4000'. Continued southwest toward st thomas VOR. Contacted flight watch and was told that morgantown had 7000' and 6 mi in light rain. Pilot decided to continue on and land at morgantown if cincinnati was not available for VFR. Approximately 40 mi from st thomas VOR aircraft encountered rain showers and advised ZDC that we wanted to turn south to avoid WX. ZDC advised vectors to hagerstown, pilot complied. Boston center handed off to washington center, but frequency provided did not answer. Aircraft at this time was directly over hagerstown and aircraft was cleared to land. Upon landing tower requested a call and said ZDC wanted pilot's name and if IFR rated. At the time of approaching hagerstown aircraft was less than 3000' AGL, due to clouds and entered airspace without radio communication. ZDC should have provided frequency for control tower, instead of boston center, and advised hagerstown of the approaching aircraft. Pilot instead had to change sectionals and look up tower frequency before establishing radio contact.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: INFLT WX ENCOUNTER. ATC FLT ASSIST.

Narrative: IN CRUISE FROM N82 (WURTSBORO, NY) TO CINCINNATI VIA MORGANTOWN, WV, AT 8500', CROSSED OVER HARRISBURG AND BEGAN CONTACT WITH HARRISBURG TWR THEN ZDC. CEILING WAS ABOVE 10,000' WITH A BROKEN UNDERCAST AT ABOUT 4000'. CONTINUED SW TOWARD ST THOMAS VOR. CONTACTED FLT WATCH AND WAS TOLD THAT MORGANTOWN HAD 7000' AND 6 MI IN LIGHT RAIN. PLT DECIDED TO CONTINUE ON AND LAND AT MORGANTOWN IF CINCINNATI WAS NOT AVAILABLE FOR VFR. APPROX 40 MI FROM ST THOMAS VOR ACFT ENCOUNTERED RAIN SHOWERS AND ADVISED ZDC THAT WE WANTED TO TURN S TO AVOID WX. ZDC ADVISED VECTORS TO HAGERSTOWN, PLT COMPLIED. BOSTON CENTER HANDED OFF TO WASHINGTON CENTER, BUT FREQ PROVIDED DID NOT ANSWER. ACFT AT THIS TIME WAS DIRECTLY OVER HAGERSTOWN AND ACFT WAS CLRED TO LAND. UPON LNDG TWR REQUESTED A CALL AND SAID ZDC WANTED PLT'S NAME AND IF IFR RATED. AT THE TIME OF APCHING HAGERSTOWN ACFT WAS LESS THAN 3000' AGL, DUE TO CLOUDS AND ENTERED AIRSPACE WITHOUT RADIO COM. ZDC SHOULD HAVE PROVIDED FREQ FOR CTL TWR, INSTEAD OF BOSTON CENTER, AND ADVISED HAGERSTOWN OF THE APCHING ACFT. PLT INSTEAD HAD TO CHANGE SECTIONALS AND LOOK UP TWR FREQ BEFORE ESTABLISHING RADIO CONTACT.

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.