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Low time pilot with no actual IMC time gets into clouds on an intentional IFR flight. Loss of aircraft control occurs and he returns to base, VMC, much chagrined. Calls on downwind while still on buf approach frequency.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 150450 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199006 |
| Day | Wed |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : buf airport : 9g3 |
| State Reference | NY |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 4000 msl bound upper : 4000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | IMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : buf |
| Operator | general aviation : personal |
| Make Model Name | Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear |
| Flight Phase | cruise other cruise other |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | Other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : private pilot : instrument |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 22 flight time total : 384 flight time type : 300 |
| ASRS Report | 150450 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : approach |
| Qualification | controller : radar |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude inflight encounter other non adherence : clearance other anomaly other spatial deviation |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : exited adverse environment other |
| Consequence | other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation other |
Narrative:
A private instrument rated pilot was concerned about no actual IMC time and having had his instrument ticket 9 months, decided to file IFR and get into clouds for some actual experience. He found the clouds and just about lost control of the aircraft. Shaken and upset, he got out of the clouds, cancelled IFR and returned to his departure airport. So shaken says he, that he called on downwind but had forgotten to change frequency from buf approach. An instrument informed him that he wasn't surprised at the event, that some actual IMC was recommended by the FAA as part of the rating process. He had never heard of that.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: LOW TIME PLT WITH NO ACTUAL IMC TIME GETS INTO CLOUDS ON AN INTENTIONAL IFR FLT. LOSS OF ACFT CTL OCCURS AND HE RETURNS TO BASE, VMC, MUCH CHAGRINED. CALLS ON DOWNWIND WHILE STILL ON BUF APCH FREQ.
Narrative: A PVT INSTRUMENT RATED PLT WAS CONCERNED ABOUT NO ACTUAL IMC TIME AND HAVING HAD HIS INSTRUMENT TICKET 9 MONTHS, DECIDED TO FILE IFR AND GET INTO CLOUDS FOR SOME ACTUAL EXPERIENCE. HE FOUND THE CLOUDS AND JUST ABOUT LOST CTL OF THE ACFT. SHAKEN AND UPSET, HE GOT OUT OF THE CLOUDS, CANCELLED IFR AND RETURNED TO HIS DEP ARPT. SO SHAKEN SAYS HE, THAT HE CALLED ON DOWNWIND BUT HAD FORGOTTEN TO CHANGE FREQ FROM BUF APCH. AN INSTR INFORMED HIM THAT HE WASN'T SURPRISED AT THE EVENT, THAT SOME ACTUAL IMC WAS RECOMMENDED BY THE FAA AS PART OF THE RATING PROCESS. HE HAD NEVER HEARD OF THAT.
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.