 |
37000 Feet | Browse and search NASA's Aviation Safety Reporting System |
|
GA small aircraft VFR in IMC. Pilot climbed through a cloud layer, then had to be vectored to destination.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 168925 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199101 |
| Day | Sat |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : buj |
| State Reference | TX |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 5000 msl bound upper : 5000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | IMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zfw |
| Operator | general aviation : personal |
| Make Model Name | Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear |
| Flight Phase | cruise other |
| Flight Plan | VFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | Other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : private |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 30 flight time total : 84 flight time type : 30 |
| ASRS Report | 168925 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : radar |
| Qualification | controller : radar |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | inflight encounter : vfr in imc non adherence : far |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | controller : provided flight assist flight crew : exited adverse environment |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
I received my WX briefing sat morning. The briefer was reporting a low layer of clouds, about 1000', just west of mcalester extending from the southwest to the northeast, and was moving to the southeast. I was planning a flight from tulsa to dallas. The briefer told me that as long as I stayed west of this line. I should be able to maintain VFR to dallas. He also stated that there were no NOTAMS or warnings for the route. With that in mind, I filed a VFR flight plan. As I proceeded with flight I noticed the line of clouds to my left and stayed west of the line. As I proceeded another layer of clouds we encountered overhead at 4500'. I then began descending to stay under, but the ceiling dropped too quickly and I found myself flying in the clouds. I could see some light above me so I climbed through the clouds hoping to see where I could go to fly to VFR, but it was just area of clouds. At that point I contacted center and was vectored in to my destination. It was not an experienced that I want go to through again. I believe there were 2 errors here: first, I put too much faith north my WX briefing and that WX can change in a moment's notice and I should have reacted to what I saw, which brings me to the second error--I should have done a 180 degree turn when first encountering the clouds.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: GA SMA VFR IN IMC. PLT CLIMBED THROUGH A CLOUD LAYER, THEN HAD TO BE VECTORED TO DESTINATION.
Narrative: I RECEIVED MY WX BRIEFING SAT MORNING. THE BRIEFER WAS RPTING A LOW LAYER OF CLOUDS, ABOUT 1000', JUST W OF MCALESTER EXTENDING FROM THE SW TO THE NE, AND WAS MOVING TO THE SE. I WAS PLANNING A FLT FROM TULSA TO DALLAS. THE BRIEFER TOLD ME THAT AS LONG AS I STAYED W OF THIS LINE. I SHOULD BE ABLE TO MAINTAIN VFR TO DALLAS. HE ALSO STATED THAT THERE WERE NO NOTAMS OR WARNINGS FOR THE RTE. WITH THAT IN MIND, I FILED A VFR FLT PLAN. AS I PROCEEDED WITH FLT I NOTICED THE LINE OF CLOUDS TO MY LEFT AND STAYED W OF THE LINE. AS I PROCEEDED ANOTHER LAYER OF CLOUDS WE ENCOUNTERED OVERHEAD AT 4500'. I THEN BEGAN DSNDING TO STAY UNDER, BUT THE CEILING DROPPED TOO QUICKLY AND I FOUND MYSELF FLYING IN THE CLOUDS. I COULD SEE SOME LIGHT ABOVE ME SO I CLBED THROUGH THE CLOUDS HOPING TO SEE WHERE I COULD GO TO FLY TO VFR, BUT IT WAS JUST AREA OF CLOUDS. AT THAT POINT I CONTACTED CENTER AND WAS VECTORED IN TO MY DEST. IT WAS NOT AN EXPERIENCED THAT I WANT GO TO THROUGH AGAIN. I BELIEVE THERE WERE 2 ERRORS HERE: FIRST, I PUT TOO MUCH FAITH N MY WX BRIEFING AND THAT WX CAN CHANGE IN A MOMENT'S NOTICE AND I SHOULD HAVE REACTED TO WHAT I SAW, WHICH BRINGS ME TO THE SECOND ERROR--I SHOULD HAVE DONE A 180 DEG TURN WHEN FIRST ENCOUNTERING THE CLOUDS.
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.