Small aircraft pilot attempts to ferry a defective aircraft to lgb to have mixture control repaired,...

Attributes
ACN	157084
Time
Date	199009
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : lgb
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 1600 msl bound upper : 5000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : sna
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 2 Eng, Retractable Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other cruise other descent : approach
Route In Use	arrival other enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 10 flight time total : 1900 flight time type : 1000
ASRS Report	157084
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe inflight encounter : weather non adherence : far non adherence : clearance non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
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

Narrative:

I had departed torrance, ca airport bnd for lgb, a flight of approximately 5-10 mins. Prior to leaving torrance, I called the lgb tower to determine the conditions at the field. I was told that the conditions were VFR. Torrance was also under VFR conditions when I left. There was a 3 mi visibility with a 1600' overcast. Upon leaving torrance, I immediately found myself in IFR conditions. The ceiling was lower than anticipated. I was able to emerge on the top of the overcast through an opening, but upon attempting to descend into lgb for VFR landing, I was unable to see the airport. I circled the area for a period of time attempting to find an opening in which to descend but was unable. I then called coast approach requesting a clearance for an ILS approach to lgb. After a period of time, I was accommodated, but on attempting the approach I was not successful in completing it. I tried a second approach and this time was not able to maintain proper altitude and I was told to climb back to 1600'. I should inform you that the reason for my trip to lgb from torrance was a faulty right engine mixture control. The mixture was very rich and I was having difficulty in maintaining the mixture at a proper level so as to allow the engine to continue functioning. I informed approach control when they asked me what the problem was. I told them I was having difficulty with the mixture control and that attempting an approach was quite difficult and I was unable. I broke off any further attempts and again tried to land at torrance under VFR conditions, but was unable. I circle for approximately 1 hour, but then because I was running low on fuel, I flew to catalina airport which was the only available facility that I could see that was not in IFR conditions. I attempted to avoid any TCA or any arsa violations. The TCA in that area has a floor of 6000' and I at not time exceeded 4500-5000'. To prevent a recurrence, I intend to enroll for refresher training with an INS instrument.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA PLT ATTEMPTS TO FERRY A DEFECTIVE ACFT TO LGB TO HAVE MIXTURE CTL REPAIRED, GETS INVOLVED IMC IN VFR FLT AND UPON BEING UNABLE TO COMPLETE INS APCH DIVERTS TO VMC ARPT.

Narrative: I HAD DEPARTED TORRANCE, CA ARPT BND FOR LGB, A FLT OF APPROX 5-10 MINS. PRIOR TO LEAVING TORRANCE, I CALLED THE LGB TWR TO DETERMINE THE CONDITIONS AT THE FIELD. I WAS TOLD THAT THE CONDITIONS WERE VFR. TORRANCE WAS ALSO UNDER VFR CONDITIONS WHEN I LEFT. THERE WAS A 3 MI VISIBILITY WITH A 1600' OVCST. UPON LEAVING TORRANCE, I IMMEDIATELY FOUND MYSELF IN IFR CONDITIONS. THE CEILING WAS LOWER THAN ANTICIPATED. I WAS ABLE TO EMERGE ON THE TOP OF THE OVCST THROUGH AN OPENING, BUT UPON ATTEMPTING TO DSND INTO LGB FOR VFR LNDG, I WAS UNABLE TO SEE THE ARPT. I CIRCLED THE AREA FOR A PERIOD OF TIME ATTEMPTING TO FIND AN OPENING IN WHICH TO DSND BUT WAS UNABLE. I THEN CALLED COAST APCH REQUESTING A CLRNC FOR AN ILS APCH TO LGB. AFTER A PERIOD OF TIME, I WAS ACCOMMODATED, BUT ON ATTEMPTING THE APCH I WAS NOT SUCCESSFUL IN COMPLETING IT. I TRIED A SECOND APCH AND THIS TIME WAS NOT ABLE TO MAINTAIN PROPER ALT AND I WAS TOLD TO CLB BACK TO 1600'. I SHOULD INFORM YOU THAT THE REASON FOR MY TRIP TO LGB FROM TORRANCE WAS A FAULTY RIGHT ENG MIXTURE CTL. THE MIXTURE WAS VERY RICH AND I WAS HAVING DIFFICULTY IN MAINTAINING THE MIXTURE AT A PROPER LEVEL SO AS TO ALLOW THE ENG TO CONTINUE FUNCTIONING. I INFORMED APCH CTL WHEN THEY ASKED ME WHAT THE PROB WAS. I TOLD THEM I WAS HAVING DIFFICULTY WITH THE MIXTURE CTL AND THAT ATTEMPTING AN APCH WAS QUITE DIFFICULT AND I WAS UNABLE. I BROKE OFF ANY FURTHER ATTEMPTS AND AGAIN TRIED TO LAND AT TORRANCE UNDER VFR CONDITIONS, BUT WAS UNABLE. I CIRCLE FOR APPROX 1 HR, BUT THEN BECAUSE I WAS RUNNING LOW ON FUEL, I FLEW TO CATALINA ARPT WHICH WAS THE ONLY AVAILABLE FAC THAT I COULD SEE THAT WAS NOT IN IFR CONDITIONS. I ATTEMPTED TO AVOID ANY TCA OR ANY ARSA VIOLATIONS. THE TCA IN THAT AREA HAS A FLOOR OF 6000' AND I AT NOT TIME EXCEEDED 4500-5000'. TO PREVENT A RECURRENCE, I INTEND TO ENROLL FOR REFRESHER TRNING WITH AN INS INSTR.

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 pilot attempts to ferry a defective aircraft to lgb to have mixture control repaired, gets involved IMC in VFR flight and upon being unable to complete INS approach diverts to VMC airport.