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Attributes | |
ACN | 190994 |
Time | |
Date | 199110 |
Day | Fri |
Local Time Of Day | 1801 To 2400 |
Place | |
Locale Reference | atc facility : eck airport : mtc |
State Reference | MI |
Altitude | msl bound lower : 5500 msl bound upper : 5500 |
Environment | |
Flight Conditions | Mixed |
Light | Night |
Aircraft 1 | |
Controlling Facilities | tracon : mbs tracon : mtc |
Operator | general aviation : personal |
Make Model Name | Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear |
Flight Phase | cruise other descent : approach landing 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 : 24 flight time total : 470 flight time type : 270 |
ASRS Report | 190994 |
Person 2 | |
Affiliation | government : faa |
Function | controller : approach |
Qualification | controller : radar |
Events | |
Anomaly | inflight encounter : weather non adherence : far other anomaly other |
Independent Detector | other other : unspecified cockpit |
Resolutory Action | flight crew : became reoriented other other |
Consequence | Other |
Supplementary | |
Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
I left northwest indiana, VFR, for small airport east of flint, mi. The WX forecast was good for the first third of the route but low ceilings at flint. It was forecast better on extreme east side of southeastern, mi. I had 5 hours fuel for less than a 2 hour flight so I thought if I couldn't come down in VFR east of flint I could always return to the good WX. It was smooth with great visibility between cloud decks from southwest michigan to my destination but I couldn't get down through the overcast. I went east to croswell where the clouds were broken but they were closer to the ground than I thought and I couldn't spot an airport through the holes. By then it was dark even though I have night experience, and was night current, I wasn't prepared for VFR night flight between clouds decks with no lights below and no stars above. I called saginaw approach for help. The only VFR in southeast michigan was selfridge air national guard base. Saginaw, then flint approach, then selfridge vectored me to selfridge where it was 3000 ft scattered and 5 mi visibility. I landed ok and then went through the reception you get when a civilian lands at a military base.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: PLT OF SMA ON VFR X-COUNTRY FLT BECAME CAUGHT ON TOP AND NIGHT. RADAR ASSISTED TO SELFRIDGE AIR BASE BROKEN TO SCATTERED CLOUDS FOR VFR DSCNT AND LNDG AT SELFRIDGE.
Narrative: I L NW INDIANA, VFR, FOR SMALL ARPT E OF FLINT, MI. THE WX FORECAST WAS GOOD FOR THE FIRST THIRD OF THE RTE BUT LOW CEILINGS AT FLINT. IT WAS FORECAST BETTER ON EXTREME E SIDE OF SOUTHEASTERN, MI. I HAD 5 HRS FUEL FOR LESS THAN A 2 HR FLT SO I THOUGHT IF I COULDN'T COME DOWN IN VFR E OF FLINT I COULD ALWAYS RETURN TO THE GOOD WX. IT WAS SMOOTH WITH GREAT VISIBILITY BTWN CLOUD DECKS FROM SW MICHIGAN TO MY DEST BUT I COULDN'T GET DOWN THROUGH THE OVCST. I WENT E TO CROSWELL WHERE THE CLOUDS WERE BROKEN BUT THEY WERE CLOSER TO THE GND THAN I THOUGHT AND I COULDN'T SPOT AN ARPT THROUGH THE HOLES. BY THEN IT WAS DARK EVEN THOUGH I HAVE NIGHT EXPERIENCE, AND WAS NIGHT CURRENT, I WASN'T PREPARED FOR VFR NIGHT FLT BTWN CLOUDS DECKS WITH NO LIGHTS BELOW AND NO STARS ABOVE. I CALLED SAGINAW APCH FOR HELP. THE ONLY VFR IN SE MICHIGAN WAS SELFRIDGE AIR NATIONAL GUARD BASE. SAGINAW, THEN FLINT APCH, THEN SELFRIDGE VECTORED ME TO SELFRIDGE WHERE IT WAS 3000 FT SCATTERED AND 5 MI VISIBILITY. I LANDED OK AND THEN WENT THROUGH THE RECEPTION YOU GET WHEN A CIVILIAN LANDS AT A MIL BASE.
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.