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Pilot of small aircraft trapped on top of overcast declared an emergency for radar vectors down through the overcast to landing at visibility.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 199009 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199201 |
| Day | Tue |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : vis |
| State Reference | CA |
| Altitude | agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 2500 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | IMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : fat tower : lan |
| Operator | general aviation : instructional |
| Make Model Name | Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear |
| Flight Phase | descent : approach descent other 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 : 8 flight time total : 90 flight time type : 8 |
| ASRS Report | 199009 |
| 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 : declared emergency other |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
Private pilot -- no instrument rate -- planned a flight from san diego to visalia. Planned on 4 seat aircraft but had to settle for a 3 seat aircraft. Arriving at airport found that aircraft down for repairs and had to accept an aircraft that carried less fuel. Obtained a WX briefing that was misleading to pilot with mind set that valley WX was improving. Took longer to climb over the hills south of bakersfield than planned. Got another WX briefing that again did not apprise pilot that WX was less than VFR. Briefing was accurate but pilot misinterpreted using his own conception of what the WX was doing. Arrived over visalia with 30 min fuel. Spent 15 looking for a hole in clouds. All airports in area now IFR. Declared an emergency and was radar vectored through the clouds to a 500 ft ceiling and approach to visalia. Landing accomplished. Only damage was to reporter's ego and emotional trauma.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: PLT OF SMA TRAPPED ON TOP OF OVCST DECLARED AN EMER FOR RADAR VECTORS DOWN THROUGH THE OVCST TO LNDG AT VIS.
Narrative: PVT PLT -- NO INST RATE -- PLANNED A FLT FROM SAN DIEGO TO VISALIA. PLANNED ON 4 SEAT ACFT BUT HAD TO SETTLE FOR A 3 SEAT ACFT. ARRIVING AT ARPT FOUND THAT ACFT DOWN FOR REPAIRS AND HAD TO ACCEPT AN ACFT THAT CARRIED LESS FUEL. OBTAINED A WX BRIEFING THAT WAS MISLEADING TO PLT WITH MIND SET THAT VALLEY WX WAS IMPROVING. TOOK LONGER TO CLB OVER THE HILLS S OF BAKERSFIELD THAN PLANNED. GOT ANOTHER WX BRIEFING THAT AGAIN DID NOT APPRISE PLT THAT WX WAS LESS THAN VFR. BRIEFING WAS ACCURATE BUT PLT MISINTERPRETED USING HIS OWN CONCEPTION OF WHAT THE WX WAS DOING. ARRIVED OVER VISALIA WITH 30 MIN FUEL. SPENT 15 LOOKING FOR A HOLE IN CLOUDS. ALL ARPTS IN AREA NOW IFR. DECLARED AN EMER AND WAS RADAR VECTORED THROUGH THE CLOUDS TO A 500 FT CEILING AND APCH TO VISALIA. LNDG ACCOMPLISHED. ONLY DAMAGE WAS TO RPTR'S EGO AND EMOTIONAL TRAUMA.
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.