Atx small transport enters IMC on VFR approach to ktn.

Attributes
ACN	155917
Time
Date	199008
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ktn
State Reference	AK
Altitude	agl bound lower : 500 agl bound upper : 500
Environment
Flight Conditions	Marginal
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Small Transport
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 250 flight time total : 15000 flight time type : 100
ASRS Report	155917
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	other personnel other
Qualification	other
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : vfr in imc inflight encounter : weather inflight encounter other non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I departed petersburg, ak for ketchikan, ak with an en route stop in wrangell. Upon reaching caamaano point at an altitude of 700' MSL, I tuned in and received the ketchikan airport ATIS information. This ATIS information called for good VFR with thin scattered clouds and visibility of 7 mi, calm winds and runway 29 favored. I called ketchikan FSS and was told my traffic as an air carrier large transport on short final for runway 11. I was in VFR conditions following the gravina island shoreline, when the air carrier large transport, after landing, reported having the runway in sight at 4 mi and 1000'. At this time a float plane called off the harbor westbound, and smoke was clinging to the hills to the right of my inbound course. At this time I inadvertently lost ground contact as I flew in close proximity to light smoke. With oncoming traffic on the left of my course, and terrain to the right, I announced on FSS frequency I intended to 'miss my VFR approach,' since I lost ground contact. In a matter of about 5 seconds, I was clear of the smoke, and had good visibility contact with the airport. In fact, I had at least 10 mi visibility. At that point I continued with a normal landing at the ketchikan airport. Ketchikan airport information echo never mentioned any smoke to the west of the airport, or was never mentioned by any other aircraft.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ATX SMT ENTERS IMC ON VFR APCH TO KTN.

Narrative: I DEPARTED PETERSBURG, AK FOR KETCHIKAN, AK WITH AN ENRTE STOP IN WRANGELL. UPON REACHING CAAMAANO POINT AT AN ALT OF 700' MSL, I TUNED IN AND RECEIVED THE KETCHIKAN ARPT ATIS INFO. THIS ATIS INFO CALLED FOR GOOD VFR WITH THIN SCATTERED CLOUDS AND VISIBILITY OF 7 MI, CALM WINDS AND RWY 29 FAVORED. I CALLED KETCHIKAN FSS AND WAS TOLD MY TFC AS AN ACR LGT ON SHORT FINAL FOR RWY 11. I WAS IN VFR CONDITIONS FOLLOWING THE GRAVINA ISLAND SHORELINE, WHEN THE ACR LGT, AFTER LNDG, RPTED HAVING THE RWY IN SIGHT AT 4 MI AND 1000'. AT THIS TIME A FLOAT PLANE CALLED OFF THE HARBOR WBND, AND SMOKE WAS CLINGING TO THE HILLS TO THE RIGHT OF MY INBND COURSE. AT THIS TIME I INADVERTENTLY LOST GND CONTACT AS I FLEW IN CLOSE PROX TO LIGHT SMOKE. WITH ONCOMING TFC ON THE LEFT OF MY COURSE, AND TERRAIN TO THE RIGHT, I ANNOUNCED ON FSS FREQ I INTENDED TO 'MISS MY VFR APCH,' SINCE I LOST GND CONTACT. IN A MATTER OF ABOUT 5 SECS, I WAS CLR OF THE SMOKE, AND HAD GOOD VIS CONTACT WITH THE ARPT. IN FACT, I HAD AT LEAST 10 MI VISIBILITY. AT THAT POINT I CONTINUED WITH A NORMAL LNDG AT THE KETCHIKAN ARPT. KETCHIKAN ARPT INFO ECHO NEVER MENTIONED ANY SMOKE TO THE W OF THE ARPT, OR WAS NEVER MENTIONED BY ANY OTHER ACFT.

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.