Small aircraft pilot presses on to destination in spite of worsening WX. IMC in VFR flight.

Attributes
ACN	144104
Time
Date	199004
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : dvl
State Reference	ND
Altitude	agl bound lower : 800 agl bound upper : 900
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zmp
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other descent : approach landing other
Route In Use	approach : contact arrival other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 1030
ASRS Report	144104
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	other personnel other
Qualification	other
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical incursion : landing without clearance inflight encounter : vfr in imc inflight encounter : weather non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew faa : investigated
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I departed dvl carrying 3 passenger to dik. I delivered my passenger under far part 135 to dik. I then returned to dvl. The WX en route was approximately 2500' with unrestricted visibility. According to a WX briefing received earlier, the conditions were to remain the same for my return, non-revenue flight. I received updated WX after I departed dik. Moderate snow was then falling approximately 85 NM south of dvl in the jms area. Approximately 100 NM southwest of dvl I entered light to moderate snow and visibility dropped to between 2-3 SM. I continued on in uncontrolled airspace approximately 800-900' AGL, then getting approximately 25 NM southwest of dvl when I contacted grand forks, nd FSS. I just barely heard the controller/FSS person finally get my north# right when I was no longer able to receive anything on the radio! I did not know the current surface observation at dvl so, since my flight visibility was at least 2 mi, I blindly requested a special VFR clearance approximately 5 separate times, stating that I would maintain SVFR conditions at all times. After landing I was informed that dvl reported 300' obscured and 3/4 mi visibility! No 'special' was given, but the control zone was closed due to my 'blind' xmissions. The minneapolis center controller I talked with on the phone after landing stated no action would be taken against me. I think he lied to me. In summary, I did not know about the conditions at dvl since I never experienced those conditions on 4/90. I always had greater than 2 mi visibility and never entered clouds. After my rather sudden loss of 2-WAY communication with gfk FSS due to static (extreme) from the snow, I had no idea where to go other than dvl since WX information was unavailable! After discussion the situation with the ZMP supervisor (sector 25) after landing, he concluded he would not pursue the incident due to my attempted contact of FSS with request for special clearance, and intentions. After not being able to communicate with gfk FSS, I considered other nearby (within 20 NM) airports, but continued flight beyond dvl was deemed unsafe by me since I had been experienced the worst carburetor icing I had ever seen!

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA PLT PRESSES ON TO DESTINATION IN SPITE OF WORSENING WX. IMC IN VFR FLT.

Narrative: I DEPARTED DVL CARRYING 3 PAX TO DIK. I DELIVERED MY PAX UNDER FAR PART 135 TO DIK. I THEN RETURNED TO DVL. THE WX ENRTE WAS APPROX 2500' WITH UNRESTRICTED VISIBILITY. ACCORDING TO A WX BRIEFING RECEIVED EARLIER, THE CONDITIONS WERE TO REMAIN THE SAME FOR MY RETURN, NON-REVENUE FLT. I RECEIVED UPDATED WX AFTER I DEPARTED DIK. MODERATE SNOW WAS THEN FALLING APPROX 85 NM S OF DVL IN THE JMS AREA. APPROX 100 NM SW OF DVL I ENTERED LIGHT TO MODERATE SNOW AND VISIBILITY DROPPED TO BTWN 2-3 SM. I CONTINUED ON IN UNCONTROLLED AIRSPACE APPROX 800-900' AGL, THEN GETTING APPROX 25 NM SW OF DVL WHEN I CONTACTED GRAND FORKS, ND FSS. I JUST BARELY HEARD THE CTLR/FSS PERSON FINALLY GET MY N# RIGHT WHEN I WAS NO LONGER ABLE TO RECEIVE ANYTHING ON THE RADIO! I DID NOT KNOW THE CURRENT SURFACE OBSERVATION AT DVL SO, SINCE MY FLT VISIBILITY WAS AT LEAST 2 MI, I BLINDLY REQUESTED A SPECIAL VFR CLRNC APPROX 5 SEPARATE TIMES, STATING THAT I WOULD MAINTAIN SVFR CONDITIONS AT ALL TIMES. AFTER LNDG I WAS INFORMED THAT DVL RPTED 300' OBSCURED AND 3/4 MI VISIBILITY! NO 'SPECIAL' WAS GIVEN, BUT THE CTL ZONE WAS CLOSED DUE TO MY 'BLIND' XMISSIONS. THE MINNEAPOLIS CENTER CTLR I TALKED WITH ON THE PHONE AFTER LNDG STATED NO ACTION WOULD BE TAKEN AGAINST ME. I THINK HE LIED TO ME. IN SUMMARY, I DID NOT KNOW ABOUT THE CONDITIONS AT DVL SINCE I NEVER EXPERIENCED THOSE CONDITIONS ON 4/90. I ALWAYS HAD GREATER THAN 2 MI VISIBILITY AND NEVER ENTERED CLOUDS. AFTER MY RATHER SUDDEN LOSS OF 2-WAY COM WITH GFK FSS DUE TO STATIC (EXTREME) FROM THE SNOW, I HAD NO IDEA WHERE TO GO OTHER THAN DVL SINCE WX INFO WAS UNAVAILABLE! AFTER DISCUSSION THE SITUATION WITH THE ZMP SUPVR (SECTOR 25) AFTER LNDG, HE CONCLUDED HE WOULD NOT PURSUE THE INCIDENT DUE TO MY ATTEMPTED CONTACT OF FSS WITH REQUEST FOR SPECIAL CLRNC, AND INTENTIONS. AFTER NOT BEING ABLE TO COMMUNICATE WITH GFK FSS, I CONSIDERED OTHER NEARBY (WITHIN 20 NM) ARPTS, BUT CONTINUED FLT BEYOND DVL WAS DEEMED UNSAFE BY ME SINCE I HAD BEEN EXPERIENCED THE WORST CARB ICING I HAD EVER SEEN!

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.