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IMC in VFR flight by new private pilot in small aircraft.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 202594 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199202 |
| Day | Sun |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : otm |
| State Reference | IA |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 2300 msl bound upper : 2300 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | Marginal |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zau tower : msp |
| Operator | general aviation : instructional |
| Make Model Name | Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear |
| Flight Phase | cruise other cruise other |
| Route In Use | enroute : direct 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 : 70 flight time type : 8 |
| ASRS Report | 202594 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | other personnel other |
| Qualification | other |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | inflight encounter : vfr in imc inflight encounter : weather non adherence : far |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | other |
| Consequence | faa : investigated |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
At mt pleasant ia I called flight watch. I gave pilot report and asked for WX update. Was told IFR at kirkville, columbia VFR 3800. Due to build up to south started to deviate to bloomfield. Had ADF on 269 had loud tone, visibility 1 mi. Still VFR. Headed for albia and set VOR for ottumwa. Near albia, lost VFR. Was in clouds. Called fort dodge FSS immediately after losing ground visibility. Asked for DF steer, informed FSS was in IFR conditions not IFR rated. Was instructed to squawk 2700. And contact chicago center called chicago center altitude 2300. Was 10 west of ottumwa, ia. Asked by chicago center for fuel had 19.5 gallons 2:30 hours flight time. Lost radar contact but was VFR. At 5 mi west of ottumwa, had airport in sight. No tower light is a control zone, landed runway 4. Parked and called fort dodge FSS to inform on ground. Was instructed to call chicago center. Action by pilot: was attempting to stay VFR sectional showed highest point at 2200 ft. Question, how low could I go? Was attempting to land at nearest airport. 180 degree turn would have only placed me in worse weather. Have pilot certificate only 4 days. Inexperience of pilot. Need to more rapidly recognize change of conditions. I feel action was good. Was going to nearest airport. Relied on instrument called for help. Situation lasted only 5 min. Do not feel plane or passenger safety in question.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: IMC IN VFR FLT BY NEW PVT PLT IN SMA.
Narrative: AT MT PLEASANT IA I CALLED FLT WATCH. I GAVE PLT RPT AND ASKED FOR WX UPDATE. WAS TOLD IFR AT KIRKVILLE, COLUMBIA VFR 3800. DUE TO BUILD UP TO S STARTED TO DEVIATE TO BLOOMFIELD. HAD ADF ON 269 HAD LOUD TONE, VISIBILITY 1 MI. STILL VFR. HEADED FOR ALBIA AND SET VOR FOR OTTUMWA. NEAR ALBIA, LOST VFR. WAS IN CLOUDS. CALLED FORT DODGE FSS IMMEDIATELY AFTER LOSING GND VISIBILITY. ASKED FOR DF STEER, INFORMED FSS WAS IN IFR CONDITIONS NOT IFR RATED. WAS INSTRUCTED TO SQUAWK 2700. AND CONTACT CHICAGO CTR CALLED CHICAGO CTR ALT 2300. WAS 10 W OF OTTUMWA, IA. ASKED BY CHICAGO CTR FOR FUEL HAD 19.5 GALLONS 2:30 HRS FLT TIME. LOST RADAR CONTACT BUT WAS VFR. AT 5 MI W OF OTTUMWA, HAD ARPT IN SIGHT. NO TWR LIGHT IS A CTL ZONE, LANDED RWY 4. PARKED AND CALLED FORT DODGE FSS TO INFORM ON GND. WAS INSTRUCTED TO CALL CHICAGO CTR. ACTION BY PLT: WAS ATTEMPTING TO STAY VFR SECTIONAL SHOWED HIGHEST POINT AT 2200 FT. QUESTION, HOW LOW COULD I GO? WAS ATTEMPTING TO LAND AT NEAREST ARPT. 180 DEG TURN WOULD HAVE ONLY PLACED ME IN WORSE WEATHER. HAVE PLT CERTIFICATE ONLY 4 DAYS. INEXPERIENCE OF PLT. NEED TO MORE RAPIDLY RECOGNIZE CHANGE OF CONDITIONS. I FEEL ACTION WAS GOOD. WAS GOING TO NEAREST ARPT. RELIED ON INST CALLED FOR HELP. SITUATION LASTED ONLY 5 MIN. DO NOT FEEL PLANE OR PAX SAFETY IN QUESTION.
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.