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Attemting to maintain VFR in mountainous terrain goes IMC.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 184845 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199107 |
| Day | Tue |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : blf airport : mjk |
| State Reference | WV |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 4500 msl bound upper : 4800 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | Mixed |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : ztl |
| Operator | general aviation : personal |
| Make Model Name | Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Retractable Gear |
| Flight Phase | cruise other |
| Route In Use | enroute : on vectors |
| Flight Plan | None |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | Other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : private |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 7 flight time total : 300 |
| ASRS Report | 184845 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : radar |
| Qualification | controller : radar |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | inflight encounter : weather inflight encounter : vfr in imc non adherence : far other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | controller : issued new clearance flight crew : exited penetrated airspace |
| Consequence | other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
While en route from I34 greensburg, in, to gso, greensboro, nc, as the sole occupant aboard an small aircraft, the classic VFR into IFR occurred. The trip began with ceilings allowing a 7500 ft MSL VFR cruise altitude. As the mountains approached the ceiling began to come down. I initiated a 180 degree turn and descended to 5500 ft. Having made this flight several times in the past I felt certain the ceilings would begin to come up again as the terrain began to rise. They did not, at least in the area directly around me. I was on flight following and requested and received a frequency change to call flight watch. Having tried 4-5 times to get a response on 122.00 I returned to flight following which I believe was identification. Shortly thereafter I was switched to atlanta center and then the trouble began. The ceiling began lowering rapidly, I was vainly trying to avoid clouds as per VFR requirements. This took more and more dexterous actions until I realized that I was definitely not getting the cloud lifting I had assumed would come about. As I descended below 5000 ft, I informed ZTL that I was in difficulty due to increasing cloud cover and requested assistance to the nearest airport. The controller did a very professional job of vectoring me to mjk. During this time he asked another plane in the area what their ceilings were and I heard 5000 ft or 5500 ft scattered. At this time I was at or just below 4500 ft and between 2 mountain ranges with WAC section elevations of 5100 ft and 6300 ft. The controller informed me 'IFR min altitude for that area was 6900 ft.' this gave me considerable concern as I could see the nearing ridge intermittently between clouds and it looked close as I wanted to clear it by at least 1000 ft to minimize any possible turbulence. I made a climbing turn to the right in order to do a 360 degree turn to gain altitude to cross the ridge and to remain over the lower valley. At that point, at about 4800 ft I entered a cloud. I informed the controller immediately that I was IMC. As I finished my confession I came out of the cloud and the remainder of the vectored flight to mjk I was able to remain VFR with the cloud bases at an estimated 5500 ft. The area of clouds I found myself in were apparently an isolated area of lower ceilings. I did not lose control of the plane in IMC but I have had 60 plus hours IFR training and switched to IFR mode as soon as I entered the cloud. The controller was very helpful and as far as I'm concerned he really pulled my butt out of the flames. Conclusions: VFR into IFR on a hazy day happens quickly! I suggest the minimal IFR training for basic pilots license be increased to 5 hours with instructors encourage to show students actual conditions. Nothing, and I mean nothing, can replace the real thing as a deterrent to flying into IMC as well an incentive to gain IFR ratings. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information. Reporter counseled he was not restr to filing additional reports for 4 yrs. The immunity portion of the program was explained and he now understands he can submit as many reports as he likes.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: ATTEMTING TO MAINTAIN VFR IN MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN GOES IMC.
Narrative: WHILE ENRTE FROM I34 GREENSBURG, IN, TO GSO, GREENSBORO, NC, AS THE SOLE OCCUPANT ABOARD AN SMA, THE CLASSIC VFR INTO IFR OCCURRED. THE TRIP BEGAN WITH CEILINGS ALLOWING A 7500 FT MSL VFR CRUISE ALT. AS THE MOUNTAINS APCHED THE CEILING BEGAN TO COME DOWN. I INITIATED A 180 DEG TURN AND DSNDED TO 5500 FT. HAVING MADE THIS FLT SEVERAL TIMES IN THE PAST I FELT CERTAIN THE CEILINGS WOULD BEGIN TO COME UP AGAIN AS THE TERRAIN BEGAN TO RISE. THEY DID NOT, AT LEAST IN THE AREA DIRECTLY AROUND ME. I WAS ON FLT FOLLOWING AND REQUESTED AND RECEIVED A FREQ CHANGE TO CALL FLT WATCH. HAVING TRIED 4-5 TIMES TO GET A RESPONSE ON 122.00 I RETURNED TO FLT FOLLOWING WHICH I BELIEVE WAS ID. SHORTLY THEREAFTER I WAS SWITCHED TO ATLANTA CENTER AND THEN THE TROUBLE BEGAN. THE CEILING BEGAN LOWERING RAPIDLY, I WAS VAINLY TRYING TO AVOID CLOUDS AS PER VFR REQUIREMENTS. THIS TOOK MORE AND MORE DEXTEROUS ACTIONS UNTIL I REALIZED THAT I WAS DEFINITELY NOT GETTING THE CLOUD LIFTING I HAD ASSUMED WOULD COME ABOUT. AS I DSNDED BELOW 5000 FT, I INFORMED ZTL THAT I WAS IN DIFFICULTY DUE TO INCREASING CLOUD COVER AND REQUESTED ASSISTANCE TO THE NEAREST ARPT. THE CTLR DID A VERY PROFESSIONAL JOB OF VECTORING ME TO MJK. DURING THIS TIME HE ASKED ANOTHER PLANE IN THE AREA WHAT THEIR CEILINGS WERE AND I HEARD 5000 FT OR 5500 FT SCATTERED. AT THIS TIME I WAS AT OR JUST BELOW 4500 FT AND BTWN 2 MOUNTAIN RANGES WITH WAC SECTION ELEVATIONS OF 5100 FT AND 6300 FT. THE CTLR INFORMED ME 'IFR MIN ALT FOR THAT AREA WAS 6900 FT.' THIS GAVE ME CONSIDERABLE CONCERN AS I COULD SEE THE NEARING RIDGE INTERMITTENTLY BTWN CLOUDS AND IT LOOKED CLOSE AS I WANTED TO CLR IT BY AT LEAST 1000 FT TO MINIMIZE ANY POSSIBLE TURB. I MADE A CLBING TURN TO THE R IN ORDER TO DO A 360 DEG TURN TO GAIN ALT TO CROSS THE RIDGE AND TO REMAIN OVER THE LOWER VALLEY. AT THAT POINT, AT ABOUT 4800 FT I ENTERED A CLOUD. I INFORMED THE CTLR IMMEDIATELY THAT I WAS IMC. AS I FINISHED MY CONFESSION I CAME OUT OF THE CLOUD AND THE REMAINDER OF THE VECTORED FLT TO MJK I WAS ABLE TO REMAIN VFR WITH THE CLOUD BASES AT AN ESTIMATED 5500 FT. THE AREA OF CLOUDS I FOUND MYSELF IN WERE APPARENTLY AN ISOLATED AREA OF LOWER CEILINGS. I DID NOT LOSE CTL OF THE PLANE IN IMC BUT I HAVE HAD 60 PLUS HRS IFR TRAINING AND SWITCHED TO IFR MODE AS SOON AS I ENTERED THE CLOUD. THE CTLR WAS VERY HELPFUL AND AS FAR AS I'M CONCERNED HE REALLY PULLED MY BUTT OUT OF THE FLAMES. CONCLUSIONS: VFR INTO IFR ON A HAZY DAY HAPPENS QUICKLY! I SUGGEST THE MINIMAL IFR TRAINING FOR BASIC PLTS LICENSE BE INCREASED TO 5 HRS WITH INSTRUCTORS ENCOURAGE TO SHOW STUDENTS ACTUAL CONDITIONS. NOTHING, AND I MEAN NOTHING, CAN REPLACE THE REAL THING AS A DETERRENT TO FLYING INTO IMC AS WELL AN INCENTIVE TO GAIN IFR RATINGS. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO. RPTR COUNSELED HE WAS NOT RESTR TO FILING ADDITIONAL RPTS FOR 4 YRS. THE IMMUNITY PORTION OF THE PROGRAM WAS EXPLAINED AND HE NOW UNDERSTANDS HE CAN SUBMIT AS MANY RPTS AS HE LIKES.
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.