Small aircraft flies into deteriorating WX, attempts a 180 degree turn but loses ground reference, a...

Attributes
ACN	143602
Time
Date	199004
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : eri
State Reference	PA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 1200 msl bound upper : 3400
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : eri
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Retractable Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 20 flight time total : 170 flight time type : 140
ASRS Report	143602
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : vfr in imc non adherence : far other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance controller : provided flight assist other other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

After receiving a WX briefing from toronto FSS and filing a VFR flight plan from toronto island to akron center, my wife and I departed toronto island. Conditions were VFR in toronto and akron-canton at the time of departure with marginal VFR being reported in the erie area. Erie was reporting 600' ceiling with 2 mi and lake erie was uneventful with at least 3 mi visibility and 800' ceiling. I reached the north shore of pennsylvania cruising at 1200' MSL. At 500' above the terrain and just below the clouds I decided I would land at erie to airport 10 NM to the south and inform customs that I was forced to land due to WX. My appointment with customs was in akron-canton because erie international customs informed me that they couldn't provide service on weekends. I believe what caused the problem was a failure on my part to recognize the fact that the terrain was rising the further south I flew. I executed a 180 degree turn when I realized I could not continue to the south and lost all visual reference to the ground. I called erie approach and gave him my position and informed him that I was in instrument conditions and was not instrument rated and that I needed assistance after initial contact. I could hear erie approach but he could no longer hear me. An air carrier captain assisted by relaying my messages to approach. I was asked if I could climb to 3000' where I should break out on top at some point during my climb. Erie approach and I could communication directly and we both thanked the air carrier pilot for his assistance. I broke out on top at 3400', climbed to 4500' and received flight following to akron-canton where conditions were VFR. I believe the incident could have been prevented if I'd made a more detailed study of the terrain along my route of flight and realized sooner that even though the ceiling along the shoreline may have been 600', the ceiling would be deteriorating the further south I flew due to a rising terrain.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA FLIES INTO DETERIORATING WX, ATTEMPTS A 180 DEGREE TURN BUT LOSES GND REFERENCE, AND OBTAINS ATC ASSISTANCE TO GET TO VMC.

Narrative: AFTER RECEIVING A WX BRIEFING FROM TORONTO FSS AND FILING A VFR FLT PLAN FROM TORONTO ISLAND TO AKRON CENTER, MY WIFE AND I DEPARTED TORONTO ISLAND. CONDITIONS WERE VFR IN TORONTO AND AKRON-CANTON AT THE TIME OF DEP WITH MARGINAL VFR BEING REPORTED IN THE ERIE AREA. ERIE WAS REPORTING 600' CEILING WITH 2 MI AND LAKE ERIE WAS UNEVENTFUL WITH AT LEAST 3 MI VISIBILITY AND 800' CEILING. I REACHED THE N SHORE OF PENNSYLVANIA CRUISING AT 1200' MSL. AT 500' ABOVE THE TERRAIN AND JUST BELOW THE CLOUDS I DECIDED I WOULD LAND AT ERIE TO ARPT 10 NM TO THE S AND INFORM CUSTOMS THAT I WAS FORCED TO LAND DUE TO WX. MY APPOINTMENT WITH CUSTOMS WAS IN AKRON-CANTON BECAUSE ERIE INTERNATIONAL CUSTOMS INFORMED ME THAT THEY COULDN'T PROVIDE SERVICE ON WEEKENDS. I BELIEVE WHAT CAUSED THE PROBLEM WAS A FAILURE ON MY PART TO RECOGNIZE THE FACT THAT THE TERRAIN WAS RISING THE FURTHER S I FLEW. I EXECUTED A 180 DEG TURN WHEN I REALIZED I COULD NOT CONTINUE TO THE S AND LOST ALL VISUAL REFERENCE TO THE GND. I CALLED ERIE APCH AND GAVE HIM MY POSITION AND INFORMED HIM THAT I WAS IN INSTRUMENT CONDITIONS AND WAS NOT INSTRUMENT RATED AND THAT I NEEDED ASSISTANCE AFTER INITIAL CONTACT. I COULD HEAR ERIE APCH BUT HE COULD NO LONGER HEAR ME. AN ACR CAPT ASSISTED BY RELAYING MY MESSAGES TO APCH. I WAS ASKED IF I COULD CLIMB TO 3000' WHERE I SHOULD BREAK OUT ON TOP AT SOME POINT DURING MY CLIMB. ERIE APCH AND I COULD COM DIRECTLY AND WE BOTH THANKED THE ACR PLT FOR HIS ASSISTANCE. I BROKE OUT ON TOP AT 3400', CLIMBED TO 4500' AND RECEIVED FLT FOLLOWING TO AKRON-CANTON WHERE CONDITIONS WERE VFR. I BELIEVE THE INCIDENT COULD HAVE BEEN PREVENTED IF I'D MADE A MORE DETAILED STUDY OF THE TERRAIN ALONG MY ROUTE OF FLT AND REALIZED SOONER THAT EVEN THOUGH THE CEILING ALONG THE SHORELINE MAY HAVE BEEN 600', THE CEILING WOULD BE DETERIORATING THE FURTHER S I FLEW DUE TO A RISING TERRAIN.

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.

Small aircraft flies into deteriorating WX, attempts a 180 degree turn but loses ground reference, and obtains ATC assistance to get to VMC.