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Commuter light transport cancelled IFR flight plan to proceed VFR through N90 TCA at 3500'. WX was reported 3000 scattered for the area.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 158021 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199009 |
| Day | Mon |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : lga |
| State Reference | NY |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 3500 msl bound upper : 3500 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | Mixed |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : n90 |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | Light Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng |
| Flight Phase | cruise other |
| Route In Use | enroute : direct enroute : on vectors |
| Flight Plan | VFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 3400 flight time type : 400 |
| ASRS Report | 158021 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | inflight encounter : weather inflight encounter : vfr in imc 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:
Flight departed IFR. Hourly sequence for destination was 3000' scattered 20 mi visibility. En route, captain opted to cancel IFR and proceed VFR with radar advisories. As we approached 50 south of destination we could see that there was a broken could deck we would have to navigate over or under. Cloud deck was in ny TCA. We received a TCA clearance to navigate through the TCA at 3500' MSL. It was apparent that we would have to maneuver to stay clear of the clouds. Ny approach then began to vector us heading for clouds we advised we would need a turn to stay clear of clouds. He also issued traffic 500' above us. With jfk and lga airports close we couldn't descend, couldn't turn and couldn't climb with traffic somewhere above. We flew through several clouds while taking radar vectors to try and stay clear. We were boxed in because of traffic and local airspace. The captain's decision to cancel IFR based on current and forecast WX was not in error, however, accepting the TCA clearance at 3500' was questionable. As a first officer I let the captain know I was uncomfortable with the events before we had descended, during operations at 3500' and afterwards. I apparently was not assertive enough.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: COMMUTER LTT CANCELLED IFR FLT PLAN TO PROCEED VFR THROUGH N90 TCA AT 3500'. WX WAS REPORTED 3000 SCATTERED FOR THE AREA.
Narrative: FLT DEPARTED IFR. HOURLY SEQUENCE FOR DEST WAS 3000' SCATTERED 20 MI VISIBILITY. ENRTE, CAPT OPTED TO CANCEL IFR AND PROCEED VFR WITH RADAR ADVISORIES. AS WE APCHED 50 S OF DEST WE COULD SEE THAT THERE WAS A BROKEN COULD DECK WE WOULD HAVE TO NAVIGATE OVER OR UNDER. CLOUD DECK WAS IN NY TCA. WE RECEIVED A TCA CLRNC TO NAVIGATE THROUGH THE TCA AT 3500' MSL. IT WAS APPARENT THAT WE WOULD HAVE TO MANEUVER TO STAY CLEAR OF THE CLOUDS. NY APCH THEN BEGAN TO VECTOR US HDG FOR CLOUDS WE ADVISED WE WOULD NEED A TURN TO STAY CLR OF CLOUDS. HE ALSO ISSUED TFC 500' ABOVE US. WITH JFK AND LGA ARPTS CLOSE WE COULDN'T DSND, COULDN'T TURN AND COULDN'T CLB WITH TFC SOMEWHERE ABOVE. WE FLEW THROUGH SEVERAL CLOUDS WHILE TAKING RADAR VECTORS TO TRY AND STAY CLR. WE WERE BOXED IN BECAUSE OF TFC AND LCL AIRSPACE. THE CAPT'S DECISION TO CANCEL IFR BASED ON CURRENT AND FORECAST WX WAS NOT IN ERROR, HOWEVER, ACCEPTING THE TCA CLRNC AT 3500' WAS QUESTIONABLE. AS A F/O I LET THE CAPT KNOW I WAS UNCOMFORTABLE WITH THE EVENTS BEFORE WE HAD DSNDED, DURING OPS AT 3500' AND AFTERWARDS. I APPARENTLY WAS NOT ASSERTIVE ENOUGH.
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.