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VFR pilot encountered cloud layer at destination, called sat tower for assistance to get below the layer and proceed VFR to sat airport.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 189893 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199109 |
| Day | Tue |
| Local Time Of Day | 0001 To 0600 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : sat |
| State Reference | TX |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 4500 msl bound upper : 4500 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | Mixed |
| Light | Night |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tower : sat artcc : zla |
| Operator | general aviation : instructional |
| Make Model Name | Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear |
| Flight Phase | cruise other descent : approach descent other |
| Flight Plan | VFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | Other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : private |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 50 flight time total : 100 flight time type : 27 |
| ASRS Report | 189893 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : local |
| Qualification | controller : non radar |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | inflight encounter : weather inflight encounter : vfr in imc non adherence : far other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other other : unspecified cockpit |
| Resolutory Action | controller : provided flight assist flight crew : became reoriented flight crew : declared emergency |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
En route from austin to sat. I climbed to 4500 to get above a scattered layer that was about 2000 ft. As I neared sat the scattered layer became broken. I tried to go underneath but the layer was too low. I made a climbing turn to return to 4500 ft and get back above cloud tops, while diverting to alternate airport. En route to alternate conditions worsened. The nearest known VFR was austin and fuel was marginal to try to proceed there, so I turned back to sat and asked for assistance from tower to get below the low ceiling.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: VFR PLT ENCOUNTERED CLOUD LAYER AT DEST, CALLED SAT TWR FOR ASSISTANCE TO GET BELOW THE LAYER AND PROCEED VFR TO SAT ARPT.
Narrative: ENRTE FROM AUSTIN TO SAT. I CLBED TO 4500 TO GET ABOVE A SCATTERED LAYER THAT WAS ABOUT 2000 FT. AS I NEARED SAT THE SCATTERED LAYER BECAME BROKEN. I TRIED TO GO UNDERNEATH BUT THE LAYER WAS TOO LOW. I MADE A CLBING TURN TO RETURN TO 4500 FT AND GET BACK ABOVE CLOUD TOPS, WHILE DIVERTING TO ALTERNATE ARPT. ENRTE TO ALTERNATE CONDITIONS WORSENED. THE NEAREST KNOWN VFR WAS AUSTIN AND FUEL WAS MARGINAL TO TRY TO PROCEED THERE, SO I TURNED BACK TO SAT AND ASKED FOR ASSISTANCE FROM TWR TO GET BELOW THE LOW CEILING.
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.