Narrative:

Flying military training route sr 300 we crossed over a saddle in an area of high terrain. The WX, which had been broken along the whole route, did not permit further continuation along the route in VFR. The pilot initiated a climb to emergency safe altitude and turned to parallel the next route of course. The VHF radio had ZOA to be used later in the route. I heard ZOA call to an small aircraft Y that he had traffic at 12 O'clock 11200' climbing. The next call was 'small aircraft 123, traffic 12 O'clock, less than 1 mi, 11500. If not in sight, turn 30 degrees to the right.' we then broke out of the clouds at 11700'. The pilot saw small aircraft Y as we broke out and banked the aircraft away from the small aircraft. I was in the right seat and never saw the other aircraft. We then proceeded VMC to a point along the route and reentered the route and completed the mission. I think the desire to complete the mission got us into a situation in which there was no longer a chance to turn around because of mountainous terrain and forced us to proceed IMC while VFR. Another factor in our decision to go into the clouds was that all along the route the deck was 2000' thick. We entered the clouds at 5500' MSL and were there for 6000'. This was much more than anticipated. Also, we did not call ZOA while we were in climb because the frequency we had was for 75 mi further down track and we didn't think this would be applicable for where we were flying. Supplemental information from acn 138261: while flying about 300' AGL and 240 KIAS on a westerly course we noted worsening WX ahead. Unable to make a 180 degree due to the terrain, I immediately initiated a zoom climb. I anticipated VMC within 15-30 seconds. As we climbed we found that we could hear ZOA (the frequency was for the end of the low level where a popup to an air-refueling track had been planned). I saw small aircraft Y at 10:30 belly-up in a moderate right turn. I estimate we were 800' below and about 1 mi from the small aircraft. The problem is that low-level flying in mountainous terrain does not allow one to see the WX far enough ahead to make the 180 degree decision. I needed to execute the 180 degree turn as a precaution, even though I could continue. Also, even though preparing for possible radio contact is impractical, I should have squawked 7700. If we had reached an altitude that allowed radar contact it would help--if we didn't, no harm done. That mode C works!

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MLT ON LOW-LEVEL TRAINING MISSION PRESSES ON TOO FAR IN DETERIORATING WX. UNABLE TO TURN OUT OF TROUBLE, THEY INITIATE A VFR CLIMB IN IMC RESULTING IN LESS THAN LEGAL SEPARATION FROM SMA Y.

Narrative: FLYING MIL TRNING ROUTE SR 300 WE CROSSED OVER A SADDLE IN AN AREA OF HIGH TERRAIN. THE WX, WHICH HAD BEEN BROKEN ALONG THE WHOLE RTE, DID NOT PERMIT FURTHER CONTINUATION ALONG THE RTE IN VFR. THE PLT INITIATED A CLB TO EMER SAFE ALT AND TURNED TO PARALLEL THE NEXT RTE OF COURSE. THE VHF RADIO HAD ZOA TO BE USED LATER IN THE RTE. I HEARD ZOA CALL TO AN SMA Y THAT HE HAD TFC AT 12 O'CLOCK 11200' CLBING. THE NEXT CALL WAS 'SMA 123, TFC 12 O'CLOCK, LESS THAN 1 MI, 11500. IF NOT IN SIGHT, TURN 30 DEGS TO THE RIGHT.' WE THEN BROKE OUT OF THE CLOUDS AT 11700'. THE PLT SAW SMA Y AS WE BROKE OUT AND BANKED THE ACFT AWAY FROM THE SMA. I WAS IN THE RIGHT SEAT AND NEVER SAW THE OTHER ACFT. WE THEN PROCEEDED VMC TO A POINT ALONG THE RTE AND REENTERED THE RTE AND COMPLETED THE MISSION. I THINK THE DESIRE TO COMPLETE THE MISSION GOT US INTO A SITUATION IN WHICH THERE WAS NO LONGER A CHANCE TO TURN AROUND BECAUSE OF MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN AND FORCED US TO PROCEED IMC WHILE VFR. ANOTHER FACTOR IN OUR DECISION TO GO INTO THE CLOUDS WAS THAT ALL ALONG THE RTE THE DECK WAS 2000' THICK. WE ENTERED THE CLOUDS AT 5500' MSL AND WERE THERE FOR 6000'. THIS WAS MUCH MORE THAN ANTICIPATED. ALSO, WE DID NOT CALL ZOA WHILE WE WERE IN CLB BECAUSE THE FREQ WE HAD WAS FOR 75 MI FURTHER DOWN TRACK AND WE DIDN'T THINK THIS WOULD BE APPLICABLE FOR WHERE WE WERE FLYING. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 138261: WHILE FLYING ABOUT 300' AGL AND 240 KIAS ON A WESTERLY COURSE WE NOTED WORSENING WX AHEAD. UNABLE TO MAKE A 180 DEG DUE TO THE TERRAIN, I IMMEDIATELY INITIATED A ZOOM CLB. I ANTICIPATED VMC WITHIN 15-30 SECS. AS WE CLBED WE FOUND THAT WE COULD HEAR ZOA (THE FREQ WAS FOR THE END OF THE LOW LEVEL WHERE A POPUP TO AN AIR-REFUELING TRACK HAD BEEN PLANNED). I SAW SMA Y AT 10:30 BELLY-UP IN A MODERATE RIGHT TURN. I ESTIMATE WE WERE 800' BELOW AND ABOUT 1 MI FROM THE SMA. THE PROB IS THAT LOW-LEVEL FLYING IN MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN DOES NOT ALLOW ONE TO SEE THE WX FAR ENOUGH AHEAD TO MAKE THE 180 DEG DECISION. I NEEDED TO EXECUTE THE 180 DEG TURN AS A PRECAUTION, EVEN THOUGH I COULD CONTINUE. ALSO, EVEN THOUGH PREPARING FOR POSSIBLE RADIO CONTACT IS IMPRACTICAL, I SHOULD HAVE SQUAWKED 7700. IF WE HAD REACHED AN ALT THAT ALLOWED RADAR CONTACT IT WOULD HELP--IF WE DIDN'T, NO HARM DONE. THAT MODE C WORKS!

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 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.