Narrative:

I was attempting to continue a VFR tour flight that had been flight planned hnl-ito-ogg-hnl, but due to WX in ito, the director of operations had me reverse the tour, landing in maui first. Arrived maui west/O incident and departed for ito, mid channel on the way to upolu point, I could see that hiamakua coast had a massive rain cell. I got within 5 DME of the showers and turned around due to low visibility. I tried going north around the cell and south with no success. Decided to return to hnl via south shore of maui and molokai. Unforecast WX had moved in causing me to get trapped off maui south shore between islands of maui, kahoolane, molokini and lanai. Unable to continue VFR I filed an IFR into ogg with no charts on board aircraft. Got vectors straight at mountain haleakala. Had no trouble until radio/interphone switch stuck on. Suggest better WX coverage briefing available to VFR operations. Ab to remove radio type from market. Not allow VFR only operations to continue. I am current and qualified IFR, but not legally able to. Director of operations advised in future to go bandit IFR and not tell anyone. I consider that unsafe in the extreme, bordering on criminal. Other factors included changing aircraft 3 times that morning as I couldn't get first 2 to work, so not adequate time allowed to preflight for charts on aircraft. Also inadequate training a factor--limited to 1/2 day ground school mostly about the tour, 4 hours flight training, 3 days IOE (approximately 12 hours). Other factors: director of operations is only acting as the company sold and in bankruptcy, so there I no fiscal responsibility, and therefore they don't care about safety.

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: VFR SIGHTSEEING FLT HAD TO FILE AN IFR FLT PLAN TO GET TO DESTINATION. COMPANY APPARENTLY NOT APPROVED FOR IFR OPERATION.

Narrative: I WAS ATTEMPTING TO CONTINUE A VFR TOUR FLT THAT HAD BEEN FLT PLANNED HNL-ITO-OGG-HNL, BUT DUE TO WX IN ITO, THE DIRECTOR OF OPS HAD ME REVERSE THE TOUR, LNDG IN MAUI FIRST. ARRIVED MAUI W/O INCIDENT AND DEPARTED FOR ITO, MID CHANNEL ON THE WAY TO UPOLU POINT, I COULD SEE THAT HIAMAKUA COAST HAD A MASSIVE RAIN CELL. I GOT WITHIN 5 DME OF THE SHOWERS AND TURNED AROUND DUE TO LOW VISIBILITY. I TRIED GOING N AROUND THE CELL AND S WITH NO SUCCESS. DECIDED TO RETURN TO HNL VIA S SHORE OF MAUI AND MOLOKAI. UNFORECAST WX HAD MOVED IN CAUSING ME TO GET TRAPPED OFF MAUI S SHORE BTWN ISLANDS OF MAUI, KAHOOLANE, MOLOKINI AND LANAI. UNABLE TO CONTINUE VFR I FILED AN IFR INTO OGG WITH NO CHARTS ON BOARD ACFT. GOT VECTORS STRAIGHT AT MOUNTAIN HALEAKALA. HAD NO TROUBLE UNTIL RADIO/INTERPHONE SWITCH STUCK ON. SUGGEST BETTER WX COVERAGE BRIEFING AVAILABLE TO VFR OPS. AB TO REMOVE RADIO TYPE FROM MARKET. NOT ALLOW VFR ONLY OPS TO CONTINUE. I AM CURRENT AND QUALIFIED IFR, BUT NOT LEGALLY ABLE TO. DIRECTOR OF OPS ADVISED IN FUTURE TO GO BANDIT IFR AND NOT TELL ANYONE. I CONSIDER THAT UNSAFE IN THE EXTREME, BORDERING ON CRIMINAL. OTHER FACTORS INCLUDED CHANGING ACFT 3 TIMES THAT MORNING AS I COULDN'T GET FIRST 2 TO WORK, SO NOT ADEQUATE TIME ALLOWED TO PREFLT FOR CHARTS ON ACFT. ALSO INADEQUATE TRNING A FACTOR--LIMITED TO 1/2 DAY GND SCHOOL MOSTLY ABOUT THE TOUR, 4 HRS FLT TRNING, 3 DAYS IOE (APPROX 12 HRS). OTHER FACTORS: DIRECTOR OF OPS IS ONLY ACTING AS THE COMPANY SOLD AND IN BANKRUPTCY, SO THERE I NO FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY, AND THEREFORE THEY DON'T CARE ABOUT SAFETY.

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.