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IMC in VFR flight when thunderstorm activity starts up on a projected night operation in an small aircraft.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 209621 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199205 |
| Day | Mon |
| Local Time Of Day | 1801 To 2400 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : vrb |
| State Reference | FL |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 2500 msl bound upper : 2500 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | Marginal |
| Light | Dusk |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zma tower : den |
| Operator | general aviation : personal |
| Make Model Name | Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Retractable Gear |
| Flight Phase | cruise other other |
| Flight Plan | None |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | Other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : private |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 15 flight time total : 1100 flight time type : 600 |
| ASRS Report | 209621 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | other personnel other |
| Qualification | other |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | inflight encounter : vfr in imc inflight encounter : weather other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | controller : provided flight assist other |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Weather |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
Problem arose on VFR flight in lantana (palm beach county) to orlando. Showers reported west of melbourne (light showers). Contacted flight watch north of stuart asked which route would be better -- westerly route (fl turnpike) or east up coast to melbourne and cut across to orlando. Told west would be best. Approximately 15 mins later I approached IFR conditions and immediately made a 180 -- I could see the ground. As I completed the turn to south, flight watch called to warn that storms were developing along westerly course -- and that I should divert up coast. I said I had already made a 180 -- and I was nervous about encountering IFR so I asked him to stay with me, until I reached the coast. He asked me to squawk 7700 so ZMA could pick me up and moments later I saw the coastline through gap in clouds. I believe VFR flts in summer evenings in fl, requires additional preparation -- as thunderstorms can come up so quickly. The flight watch controller, who was most helpful, apologized that the thunderstorms came up so quickly. On evening flts, I believe a flight plan should be filed -- and pilots should be encouraged to turn around when approaching IFR conditions. I had reported flying into IFR -- but it would be more exact to say I flew into marginal VFR conditions as I could always see the ground, and probably had 2000 ft visibility -- but could see that in seconds I would be in IFR. Melbourne and vero were VFR at the time. After flying more than 20 yrs in fl, this is the first such encounter I have personally experienced -- and it has prompted me to pursue my IFR ticket.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: IMC IN VFR FLT WHEN TSTM ACTIVITY STARTS UP ON A PROJECTED NIGHT OP IN AN SMA.
Narrative: PROBLEM AROSE ON VFR FLT IN LANTANA (PALM BEACH COUNTY) TO ORLANDO. SHOWERS RPTED W OF MELBOURNE (LIGHT SHOWERS). CONTACTED FLT WATCH N OF STUART ASKED WHICH RTE WOULD BE BETTER -- WESTERLY RTE (FL TURNPIKE) OR E UP COAST TO MELBOURNE AND CUT ACROSS TO ORLANDO. TOLD W WOULD BE BEST. APPROX 15 MINS LATER I APCHED IFR CONDITIONS AND IMMEDIATELY MADE A 180 -- I COULD SEE THE GND. AS I COMPLETED THE TURN TO S, FLT WATCH CALLED TO WARN THAT STORMS WERE DEVELOPING ALONG WESTERLY COURSE -- AND THAT I SHOULD DIVERT UP COAST. I SAID I HAD ALREADY MADE A 180 -- AND I WAS NERVOUS ABOUT ENCOUNTERING IFR SO I ASKED HIM TO STAY WITH ME, UNTIL I REACHED THE COAST. HE ASKED ME TO SQUAWK 7700 SO ZMA COULD PICK ME UP AND MOMENTS LATER I SAW THE COASTLINE THROUGH GAP IN CLOUDS. I BELIEVE VFR FLTS IN SUMMER EVENINGS IN FL, REQUIRES ADDITIONAL PREPARATION -- AS TSTMS CAN COME UP SO QUICKLY. THE FLT WATCH CTLR, WHO WAS MOST HELPFUL, APOLOGIZED THAT THE TSTMS CAME UP SO QUICKLY. ON EVENING FLTS, I BELIEVE A FLT PLAN SHOULD BE FILED -- AND PLTS SHOULD BE ENCOURAGED TO TURN AROUND WHEN APCHING IFR CONDITIONS. I HAD RPTED FLYING INTO IFR -- BUT IT WOULD BE MORE EXACT TO SAY I FLEW INTO MARGINAL VFR CONDITIONS AS I COULD ALWAYS SEE THE GND, AND PROBABLY HAD 2000 FT VISIBILITY -- BUT COULD SEE THAT IN SECONDS I WOULD BE IN IFR. MELBOURNE AND VERO WERE VFR AT THE TIME. AFTER FLYING MORE THAN 20 YRS IN FL, THIS IS THE FIRST SUCH ENCOUNTER I HAVE PERSONALLY EXPERIENCED -- AND IT HAS PROMPTED ME TO PURSUE MY IFR TICKET.
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.