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Pilot of small aircraft found himself on top of a layer of clouds with WX deteriorating and visibility reducing. Retraced his route--went under the clouds to his destination.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 118216 |
| Time | |
| Date | 198907 |
| Day | Tue |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : blf |
| State Reference | WV |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 3500 msl bound upper : 3500 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | Mixed |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zid tower : msp |
| Operator | general aviation : personal |
| Make Model Name | Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear |
| Flight Phase | cruise other descent other landing other |
| Flight Plan | None |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | Other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : private |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 40 flight time total : 260 flight time type : 50 |
| ASRS Report | 118216 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | other personnel other |
| Qualification | other other : other |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | inflight encounter : weather inflight encounter : vfr in imc |
| Independent Detector | other other : unspecified cockpit |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : exited adverse environment |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
Upon receiving WX briefing at the destination and en route I encountered haze and or fog. Bluefield reported 3-5 mi visibility, ceiling of 3500-5000' AGL. I have been flying with the use of a LORAN and had not used vors for over 18 months. I was able to fly back to oak hill and get under the clouds to return to bluefield. I was aware of my position since I was following route 77 south and 460 west to better visibility. FSS wanted me to climb through the clouds to 5000' AGL and squawk 7700. I declined because I knew where I was. The problem arose due to en route WX I had not anticipated. After I found myself on top of the clouds I returned north until the cloud layer diminished and then returned under the layer. I may have used less than good judgement in attempting to pass through the haze/fog believing that I could maintain at least 1 mi visibility. My actions were to climb to avoid the mountains and circle until I could establish radio contact. I did not panic; I realized that I had to maintain altitude, airspeed and a level attitude. Corrective action: I will not fly into what appears to be marginal WX and have begun working on my instrument rating. Although I knew where I was, FSS did not and I could have interfered with other traffic.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: PLT OF SMA FOUND HIMSELF ON TOP OF A LAYER OF CLOUDS WITH WX DETERIORATING AND VISIBILITY REDUCING. RETRACED HIS ROUTE--WENT UNDER THE CLOUDS TO HIS DESTINATION.
Narrative: UPON RECEIVING WX BRIEFING AT THE DEST AND ENRTE I ENCOUNTERED HAZE AND OR FOG. BLUEFIELD RPTED 3-5 MI VISIBILITY, CEILING OF 3500-5000' AGL. I HAVE BEEN FLYING WITH THE USE OF A LORAN AND HAD NOT USED VORS FOR OVER 18 MONTHS. I WAS ABLE TO FLY BACK TO OAK HILL AND GET UNDER THE CLOUDS TO RETURN TO BLUEFIELD. I WAS AWARE OF MY POS SINCE I WAS FOLLOWING ROUTE 77 S AND 460 W TO BETTER VISIBILITY. FSS WANTED ME TO CLB THROUGH THE CLOUDS TO 5000' AGL AND SQUAWK 7700. I DECLINED BECAUSE I KNEW WHERE I WAS. THE PROB AROSE DUE TO ENRTE WX I HAD NOT ANTICIPATED. AFTER I FOUND MYSELF ON TOP OF THE CLOUDS I RETURNED N UNTIL THE CLOUD LAYER DIMINISHED AND THEN RETURNED UNDER THE LAYER. I MAY HAVE USED LESS THAN GOOD JUDGEMENT IN ATTEMPTING TO PASS THROUGH THE HAZE/FOG BELIEVING THAT I COULD MAINTAIN AT LEAST 1 MI VISIBILITY. MY ACTIONS WERE TO CLB TO AVOID THE MOUNTAINS AND CIRCLE UNTIL I COULD ESTABLISH RADIO CONTACT. I DID NOT PANIC; I REALIZED THAT I HAD TO MAINTAIN ALT, AIRSPD AND A LEVEL ATTITUDE. CORRECTIVE ACTION: I WILL NOT FLY INTO WHAT APPEARS TO BE MARGINAL WX AND HAVE BEGUN WORKING ON MY INSTRUMENT RATING. ALTHOUGH I KNEW WHERE I WAS, FSS DID NOT AND I COULD HAVE INTERFERED WITH OTHER TFC.
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.