GA small aircraft VFR in IMC and unauthorized penetration of airspace.

Attributes
ACN	194632
Time
Date	199111
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : mui
State Reference	PA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 500 agl bound upper : 500
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : mui
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other descent other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 27 flight time total : 997 flight time type : 209
ASRS Report	194632
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : vfr in imc inflight encounter : weather non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : exited penetrated airspace flight crew : exited adverse environment
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Flight from muu to N67 (both locations in PA). Pilot contacted FSS for complete WX briefing approximately 3 hours before flight. General outlook was good except occasional to moderate low level turbulence predicted. En route WX was forecasted to be 3000-5000 broken and was estimated to be scattered layers at destination. Due to turbulence at departure, it was decided to climb above clouds to 5500 ft direct ravine VOR. Approximately 20 mi before ravine, clouds started to close up. At 10 mi out it was solid overcast. Pilot continued on course, but decided to turn 180 degrees and return to a broken area to go down below the clouds. This area is mountainous, but pilot is familiar with terrain. At times, pilot was just barely remaining legal over the mountains at 500 AGL. Once reaching ravine VOR, tuned into pottstown VOR in turbulent conditions. Within a few mins, it was evident we were involved in a magnetic anomaly and VOR was making drastic swings. Approximately 7-8 SM out, pilot may have fringed muir aaf control zone which extends out 7 SM from center of airport. Pilot continued flight for approximately 25 mi and contacted reading approach to proceed through their control zone at 2100 ft MSL as approved and then to home base. In future this pilot will contact WX FSS closer to flight time. En route FSS 122.00 did not respond.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GA SMA VFR IN IMC AND UNAUTHORIZED PENETRATION OF AIRSPACE.

Narrative: FLT FROM MUU TO N67 (BOTH LOCATIONS IN PA). PLT CONTACTED FSS FOR COMPLETE WX BRIEFING APPROX 3 HRS BEFORE FLT. GENERAL OUTLOOK WAS GOOD EXCEPT OCCASIONAL TO MODERATE LOW LEVEL TURB PREDICTED. ENRTE WX WAS FORECASTED TO BE 3000-5000 BROKEN AND WAS ESTIMATED TO BE SCATTERED LAYERS AT DEST. DUE TO TURB AT DEP, IT WAS DECIDED TO CLB ABOVE CLOUDS TO 5500 FT DIRECT RAVINE VOR. APPROX 20 MI BEFORE RAVINE, CLOUDS STARTED TO CLOSE UP. AT 10 MI OUT IT WAS SOLID OVCST. PLT CONTINUED ON COURSE, BUT DECIDED TO TURN 180 DEGS AND RETURN TO A BROKEN AREA TO GO DOWN BELOW THE CLOUDS. THIS AREA IS MOUNTAINOUS, BUT PLT IS FAMILIAR WITH TERRAIN. AT TIMES, PLT WAS JUST BARELY REMAINING LEGAL OVER THE MOUNTAINS AT 500 AGL. ONCE REACHING RAVINE VOR, TUNED INTO POTTSTOWN VOR IN TURBULENT CONDITIONS. WITHIN A FEW MINS, IT WAS EVIDENT WE WERE INVOLVED IN A MAGNETIC ANOMALY AND VOR WAS MAKING DRASTIC SWINGS. APPROX 7-8 SM OUT, PLT MAY HAVE FRINGED MUIR AAF CTL ZONE WHICH EXTENDS OUT 7 SM FROM CENTER OF ARPT. PLT CONTINUED FLT FOR APPROX 25 MI AND CONTACTED READING APCH TO PROCEED THROUGH THEIR CTL ZONE AT 2100 FT MSL AS APPROVED AND THEN TO HOME BASE. IN FUTURE THIS PLT WILL CONTACT WX FSS CLOSER TO FLT TIME. ENRTE FSS 122.00 DID NOT RESPOND.

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.