GA small aircraft VFR in IMC scud running in mountainous area of ak.

Attributes
ACN	121495
Time
Date	198908
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : gst
State Reference	AK
Altitude	msl bound lower : 1100 msl bound upper : 6500
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zan
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Retractable Gear
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : direct
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 1500
ASRS Report	121495
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	other personnel other
Qualification	other
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : vfr in imc inflight encounter : weather non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted other
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Flight from skagway, ak to gustavus, ak without passenger in small aircraft. WX report at gustavus 1 hour earlier showed 3000' overcast. 5 mins prior to arriving gustavus FSS said that pilot report showed 300-500 scattered with lots of holes. 3-5 mi visibility with 1000' ceilings to gastavus but low clouds over airport. Good visibility and 1000' ceilings east of airport. Couldn't land due to WX on airport so elected to fly back toward juneau. Ceilings about 1000' but visibility lower than 3 mi. Turned around and went back to gustavus. Visibility reduced to 5 mi east of airport. Loosing maneuvering space as visibility disintegrated to below minimums. Attempted approach for a landing on a road but lost sight of road due to forming fog. Turned to a heading of 090 degree (toward sister's island) and started a 500 FPM climb. Entered IFR conditions at 1100'. Called FSS and advised broke out at 6500'. No directional gyro. No attitude indicator. Used ball and needle, compass, vertical speed indicator. Arrived juneau and talked to FAA flight standards.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GA SMA VFR IN IMC SCUD RUNNING IN MOUNTAINOUS AREA OF AK.

Narrative: FLT FROM SKAGWAY, AK TO GUSTAVUS, AK WITHOUT PAX IN SMA. WX REPORT AT GUSTAVUS 1 HR EARLIER SHOWED 3000' OVERCAST. 5 MINS PRIOR TO ARRIVING GUSTAVUS FSS SAID THAT PLT REPORT SHOWED 300-500 SCATTERED WITH LOTS OF HOLES. 3-5 MI VISIBILITY WITH 1000' CEILINGS TO GASTAVUS BUT LOW CLOUDS OVER ARPT. GOOD VISIBILITY AND 1000' CEILINGS E OF ARPT. COULDN'T LAND DUE TO WX ON ARPT SO ELECTED TO FLY BACK TOWARD JUNEAU. CEILINGS ABOUT 1000' BUT VISIBILITY LOWER THAN 3 MI. TURNED AROUND AND WENT BACK TO GUSTAVUS. VISIBILITY REDUCED TO 5 MI E OF ARPT. LOOSING MANEUVERING SPACE AS VISIBILITY DISINTEGRATED TO BELOW MINIMUMS. ATTEMPTED APCH FOR A LNDG ON A ROAD BUT LOST SIGHT OF ROAD DUE TO FORMING FOG. TURNED TO A HDG OF 090 DEG (TOWARD SISTER'S ISLAND) AND STARTED A 500 FPM CLIMB. ENTERED IFR CONDITIONS AT 1100'. CALLED FSS AND ADVISED BROKE OUT AT 6500'. NO DIRECTIONAL GYRO. NO ATTITUDE INDICATOR. USED BALL AND NEEDLE, COMPASS, VERTICAL SPEED INDICATOR. ARRIVED JUNEAU AND TALKED TO FAA FLT STANDARDS.

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.