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Small aircraft pilot cleared into control zone, and cleared to land under special VFR, is informed on downwind leg by tower that reported visibility is now less than 1 mile,that is, below special VFR minimums.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 129601 |
| Time | |
| Date | 198912 |
| Day | Fri |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : bet |
| State Reference | AK |
| Altitude | agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 500 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | Marginal |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tower : bet |
| Operator | common carrier : air taxi |
| Make Model Name | Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Retractable Gear |
| Flight Phase | descent : approach landing other other |
| Flight Plan | VFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | Other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : instrument pilot : cfi pilot : commercial |
| Experience | flight time total : 6500 |
| ASRS Report | 129601 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : local |
| Qualification | controller : non radar |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | inflight encounter : vfr in imc inflight encounter : weather non adherence : far other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other controllera other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : anomaly accepted |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
Prior to the beginning of the flight at approximately XX30, the WX at bethel was forecast to be predominately greater than basic VFR, and the visibility was not forecast to be less than 3 mi. Upon returning to bethel, while piloting a lifeguard flight, the visibility was reported to be 1 1/2 mi with a high ceiling. Bethel tower gave me a special VFR clearance to enter the control zone and required that I report established on right downwind, which I did. Just seconds prior to my turning onto right base, the tower reported new visibility at 3/4 mi. While I was on base leg, tower asked my intentions--and I replied, 'to continue my pattern.' thereupon I landed west/O incident. Note: I was cleared to land by the tower after reporting my downwind leg and before receiving the report of new visibility of 3/4 mi. Air regulation 91.107D(1) - 'special VFR WX minimums': D) no person may takeoff or land an aircraft (other than a helicopter) at any airport in a control zone under VFR--1) unless ground visibility at that airport is at least 1 SM.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: SMA PLT CLEARED INTO CTL ZONE, AND CLEARED TO LAND UNDER SPECIAL VFR, IS INFORMED ON DOWNWIND LEG BY TWR THAT REPORTED VISIBILITY IS NOW LESS THAN 1 MILE,THAT IS, BELOW SPECIAL VFR MINIMUMS.
Narrative: PRIOR TO THE BEGINNING OF THE FLT AT APPROX XX30, THE WX AT BETHEL WAS FORECAST TO BE PREDOMINATELY GREATER THAN BASIC VFR, AND THE VISIBILITY WAS NOT FORECAST TO BE LESS THAN 3 MI. UPON RETURNING TO BETHEL, WHILE PILOTING A LIFEGUARD FLT, THE VISIBILITY WAS RPTED TO BE 1 1/2 MI WITH A HIGH CEILING. BETHEL TWR GAVE ME A SPECIAL VFR CLRNC TO ENTER THE CTL ZONE AND REQUIRED THAT I RPT ESTABLISHED ON RIGHT DOWNWIND, WHICH I DID. JUST SECS PRIOR TO MY TURNING ONTO RIGHT BASE, THE TWR RPTED NEW VISIBILITY AT 3/4 MI. WHILE I WAS ON BASE LEG, TWR ASKED MY INTENTIONS--AND I REPLIED, 'TO CONTINUE MY PATTERN.' THEREUPON I LANDED W/O INCIDENT. NOTE: I WAS CLRED TO LAND BY THE TWR AFTER RPTING MY DOWNWIND LEG AND BEFORE RECEIVING THE RPT OF NEW VISIBILITY OF 3/4 MI. AIR REG 91.107D(1) - 'SPECIAL VFR WX MINIMUMS': D) NO PERSON MAY TKOF OR LAND AN ACFT (OTHER THAN A HELI) AT ANY ARPT IN A CTL ZONE UNDER VFR--1) UNLESS GND VISIBILITY AT THAT ARPT IS AT LEAST 1 SM.
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.