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Small aircraft on IFR flight plan encounters severe turbulence and rain. Altitude change no help. Reverses course, finds opening, cancels IFR and descends.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 153151 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199008 |
| Day | Sun |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : cnm |
| State Reference | NM |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 12000 msl bound upper : 12000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | IMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Operator | general aviation : personal |
| Make Model Name | Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 2 Eng, Retractable Gear |
| Flight Phase | cruise other |
| Route In Use | enroute airway : v66 |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | Other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : cfi |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 30 flight time total : 1300 flight time type : 170 |
| ASRS Report | 153151 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : radar |
| Qualification | controller : radar |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | inflight encounter : weather non adherence : far non adherence : clearance other spatial deviation |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | other other |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
We were on an IFR flight plan in broken, sometimes continuous clouds. As we approached cnm VOR turbulence increased and we requested a lower altitude and were assigned 11000' by ATC. Lower was not available due to MEA. This did not help much so we requested 14000' (we were westbound on V66). Before climbing more than 1000' we ran into much heavier turbulence and rain, I interpreted this to be a strong thunderstorm cell so I executed a 180 degree turn, then informed ATC. Within 5 mins later a hole in the clouds was found and we cancelled IFR and descended to VFR conditions where we could see the thunderstorms and avoid them. At the time before the 180 degree turn we were trapped between the MEA, which ATC said not to descend below and 12500', even though there were good VFR conditions below 8000' AGL. If we had been allowed to descend earlier I would not have felt we were in danger. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information. Reporter states he had WX briefing (in fact several) and knew conditions below ceiling were flyable, at least 4000'. Had hoped ATC would guide him through clouds to lower altitude.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: SMA ON IFR FLT PLAN ENCOUNTERS SEVERE TURBULENCE AND RAIN. ALT CHANGE NO HELP. REVERSES COURSE, FINDS OPENING, CANCELS IFR AND DESCENDS.
Narrative: WE WERE ON AN IFR FLT PLAN IN BROKEN, SOMETIMES CONTINUOUS CLOUDS. AS WE APCHED CNM VOR TURB INCREASED AND WE REQUESTED A LOWER ALT AND WERE ASSIGNED 11000' BY ATC. LOWER WAS NOT AVAILABLE DUE TO MEA. THIS DID NOT HELP MUCH SO WE REQUESTED 14000' (WE WERE WBND ON V66). BEFORE CLBING MORE THAN 1000' WE RAN INTO MUCH HEAVIER TURB AND RAIN, I INTERPRETED THIS TO BE A STRONG TSTM CELL SO I EXECUTED A 180 DEG TURN, THEN INFORMED ATC. WITHIN 5 MINS LATER A HOLE IN THE CLOUDS WAS FOUND AND WE CANCELLED IFR AND DSNDED TO VFR CONDITIONS WHERE WE COULD SEE THE TSTMS AND AVOID THEM. AT THE TIME BEFORE THE 180 DEG TURN WE WERE TRAPPED BTWN THE MEA, WHICH ATC SAID NOT TO DSND BELOW AND 12500', EVEN THOUGH THERE WERE GOOD VFR CONDITIONS BELOW 8000' AGL. IF WE HAD BEEN ALLOWED TO DSND EARLIER I WOULD NOT HAVE FELT WE WERE IN DANGER. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO. RPTR STATES HE HAD WX BRIEFING (IN FACT SEVERAL) AND KNEW CONDITIONS BELOW CEILING WERE FLYABLE, AT LEAST 4000'. HAD HOPED ATC WOULD GUIDE HIM THROUGH CLOUDS TO LOWER ALT.
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.