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Pilot on VFR flight plan encounters WX and possibly enters a flight free zone in the grand canyon area while detouring the WX.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 116824 |
| Time | |
| Date | 198907 |
| Day | Sat |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : gcn |
| State Reference | AZ |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 11500 msl bound upper : 11500 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tower : ind |
| Operator | general aviation : personal |
| Make Model Name | Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear |
| Navigation In Use | other vortac |
| Flight Phase | cruise other cruise other |
| Flight Plan | VFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | Other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : cfi |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 170 flight time total : 945 flight time type : 30 |
| ASRS Report | 116824 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : exited penetrated airspace |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation other |
Narrative:
On jul/sat/89, I was en route from henderson skyharbor, nv (L15) to farmington, NM (fmn) via grand canyon and was having to navigate around several thunderstorms. Upon reaching gcn VOR I departed on the 075 degree right instead of using V-210 as V-210 goes through a flight free zone unless you are above 14,500 MSL. After crossing the highway approximately 18 NM east of the gcn VOR I planned to intercept the 230 degree right to tuba city (tbc) however, there were thunderstorm cells ahead and to the south with heavy lightning and I was encountering severe turbulence. The only clear route was to skirt the cell to the north. I am reasonably sure I was beyond the flight free zone before turning to the north but cannot be 100% sure. I had a current las vegas sectional which has the layout of the sfar and flight free zones on the back of the legend however it can be difficult determining the exact location of the flight free zone without VOR radials or at least a compass rose over the gcn VOR to use as a reference. If the map enclosed in the sectional displayed the navaids better or if the flight free zones and not just the sfar were marked on the sectional itself I feel it would be of great help to pilots especially when things get real busy while avoiding WX en route.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: PLT ON VFR FLT PLAN ENCOUNTERS WX AND POSSIBLY ENTERS A FLT FREE ZONE IN THE GRAND CANYON AREA WHILE DETOURING THE WX.
Narrative: ON JUL/SAT/89, I WAS ENRTE FROM HENDERSON SKYHARBOR, NV (L15) TO FARMINGTON, NM (FMN) VIA GRAND CANYON AND WAS HAVING TO NAVIGATE AROUND SEVERAL TSTMS. UPON REACHING GCN VOR I DEPARTED ON THE 075 DEG R INSTEAD OF USING V-210 AS V-210 GOES THROUGH A FLT FREE ZONE UNLESS YOU ARE ABOVE 14,500 MSL. AFTER XING THE HIGHWAY APPROX 18 NM E OF THE GCN VOR I PLANNED TO INTERCEPT THE 230 DEG R TO TUBA CITY (TBC) HOWEVER, THERE WERE TSTM CELLS AHEAD AND TO THE S WITH HEAVY LIGHTNING AND I WAS ENCOUNTERING SEVERE TURBULENCE. THE ONLY CLEAR ROUTE WAS TO SKIRT THE CELL TO THE N. I AM REASONABLY SURE I WAS BEYOND THE FLT FREE ZONE BEFORE TURNING TO THE N BUT CANNOT BE 100% SURE. I HAD A CURRENT LAS VEGAS SECTIONAL WHICH HAS THE LAYOUT OF THE SFAR AND FLT FREE ZONES ON THE BACK OF THE LEGEND HOWEVER IT CAN BE DIFFICULT DETERMINING THE EXACT LOCATION OF THE FLT FREE ZONE WITHOUT VOR RADIALS OR AT LEAST A COMPASS ROSE OVER THE GCN VOR TO USE AS A REFERENCE. IF THE MAP ENCLOSED IN THE SECTIONAL DISPLAYED THE NAVAIDS BETTER OR IF THE FLT FREE ZONES AND NOT JUST THE SFAR WERE MARKED ON THE SECTIONAL ITSELF I FEEL IT WOULD BE OF GREAT HELP TO PLTS ESPECIALLY WHEN THINGS GET REAL BUSY WHILE AVOIDING WX ENRTE.
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.