An air carrier small transport on a VFR flight plan inadvertently flew into an area of reduced visibility due to a snow shower.

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Attributes
ACN	229844
Time
Date	199212
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : gal airport : nul
State Reference	AK
Altitude	msl bound lower : 1000 msl bound upper : 1000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zan
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Small Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude cruise other cruise other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 10500
ASRS Report	229844
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 120 flight time total : 1550
ASRS Report	229845
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : vfr in imc inflight encounter : weather non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	flight crew : exited adverse environment flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course flight crew : took evasive action
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Weather
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

While navigating from nulato to kaltag in VFR conditions, we encountered lower than legal VFR flight visibility and turned towards galena and started a climb to stay away from hills on the west side of the river. Within 1 min we were in good visibility again and continued on toward kaltag. The restriction to visibility encountered was a heavy snow- squall and we couldn't tell how thick it was until entering it, as we were losing daylight rapidly. Visibility was above legal limits until that 1 place, and good again after. A private pilot who lives in nulato was on board and complained to me upon landing in kaltag.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR SMT ON A VFR FLT PLAN INADVERTENTLY FLEW INTO AN AREA OF REDUCED VISIBILITY DUE TO A SNOW SHOWER.

Narrative: WHILE NAVING FROM NULATO TO KALTAG IN VFR CONDITIONS, WE ENCOUNTERED LOWER THAN LEGAL VFR FLT VISIBILITY AND TURNED TOWARDS GALENA AND STARTED A CLB TO STAY AWAY FROM HILLS ON THE W SIDE OF THE RIVER. WITHIN 1 MIN WE WERE IN GOOD VISIBILITY AGAIN AND CONTINUED ON TOWARD KALTAG. THE RESTRICTION TO VISIBILITY ENCOUNTERED WAS A HVY SNOW- SQUALL AND WE COULDN'T TELL HOW THICK IT WAS UNTIL ENTERING IT, AS WE WERE LOSING DAYLIGHT RAPIDLY. VISIBILITY WAS ABOVE LEGAL LIMITS UNTIL THAT 1 PLACE, AND GOOD AGAIN AFTER. A PRIVATE PLT WHO LIVES IN NULATO WAS ON BOARD AND COMPLAINED TO ME UPON LNDG IN KALTAG.

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.