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Small aircraft flying at night gets into MVFR and low fuel condition. Flies through clouds for landing with ATC assist.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 215585 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199207 |
| Day | Sat |
| Local Time Of Day | 1801 To 2400 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : dxr |
| State Reference | CT |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 2500 msl bound upper : 2500 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | Marginal |
| Light | Night |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : n90 |
| Operator | general aviation : personal |
| Make Model Name | Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear |
| Flight Phase | cruise other landing other other |
| Flight Plan | VFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | Other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : cfi |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 250 flight time total : 700 flight time type : 430 |
| ASRS Report | 215585 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : approach |
| Qualification | controller : radar |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | inflight encounter : weather inflight encounter : vfr in imc non adherence : far other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other other : unspecified cockpit |
| Resolutory Action | controller : provided flight assist other |
| Consequence | faa : reviewed incident with flight crew |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
Narrative:
I was flying from johnnycake airport (burlington, ct) to dxr. WX called for 1000 ft scattered at dxr with 4 mi visibility. Bdr (bridgeport and oxc) at that time were VFR -- the forecast was VFR as well -- VFR to MVFR really. Left johnnycake and spoke with bradley airport for advisories --switched to ny. They suggested I go to oxc. Upon descent, I encountered IMC conditions. Decided not to land -- fuel situation was starting to get low. Told ny approach I needed to divert to bdr or dxr -- they suggested - - it was kind of a mutual thing -- that I go to dxr and land -- WX was getting worse and so was my fuel. It seemed to me it was either dxr or a road. I basically went through a layer to get to dxr -- I cold see it through the layer but in order for me to get to the airport I had to go through it. The reason the fuel situation got bad was the incredible headwind that was not forecast at that time. The landing was safe and I called ny on the phone -- they had asked me to. They also had me squawk 7700 because of my altitude -- they said they could pick me up more easily if I was squawking 7700. When I did call they said I would not be violated. They did, however, say that all they would put down that they gave an aircraft assistance. When I called AOPA, they said not to worry but to be safe to fill this out.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: SMA FLYING AT NIGHT GETS INTO MVFR AND LOW FUEL CONDITION. FLIES THROUGH CLOUDS FOR LNDG WITH ATC ASSIST.
Narrative: I WAS FLYING FROM JOHNNYCAKE ARPT (BURLINGTON, CT) TO DXR. WX CALLED FOR 1000 FT SCATTERED AT DXR WITH 4 MI VISIBILITY. BDR (BRIDGEPORT AND OXC) AT THAT TIME WERE VFR -- THE FORECAST WAS VFR AS WELL -- VFR TO MVFR REALLY. LEFT JOHNNYCAKE AND SPOKE WITH BRADLEY ARPT FOR ADVISORIES --SWITCHED TO NY. THEY SUGGESTED I GO TO OXC. UPON DSCNT, I ENCOUNTERED IMC CONDITIONS. DECIDED NOT TO LAND -- FUEL SITUATION WAS STARTING TO GET LOW. TOLD NY APCH I NEEDED TO DIVERT TO BDR OR DXR -- THEY SUGGESTED - - IT WAS KIND OF A MUTUAL THING -- THAT I GO TO DXR AND LAND -- WX WAS GETTING WORSE AND SO WAS MY FUEL. IT SEEMED TO ME IT WAS EITHER DXR OR A ROAD. I BASICALLY WENT THROUGH A LAYER TO GET TO DXR -- I COLD SEE IT THROUGH THE LAYER BUT IN ORDER FOR ME TO GET TO THE ARPT I HAD TO GO THROUGH IT. THE REASON THE FUEL SITUATION GOT BAD WAS THE INCREDIBLE HEADWIND THAT WAS NOT FORECAST AT THAT TIME. THE LNDG WAS SAFE AND I CALLED NY ON THE PHONE -- THEY HAD ASKED ME TO. THEY ALSO HAD ME SQUAWK 7700 BECAUSE OF MY ALT -- THEY SAID THEY COULD PICK ME UP MORE EASILY IF I WAS SQUAWKING 7700. WHEN I DID CALL THEY SAID I WOULD NOT BE VIOLATED. THEY DID, HOWEVER, SAY THAT ALL THEY WOULD PUT DOWN THAT THEY GAVE AN ACFT ASSISTANCE. WHEN I CALLED AOPA, THEY SAID NOT TO WORRY BUT TO BE SAFE TO FILL THIS OUT.
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.