IMC in VFR flight mandates a request for IFR flight plan which evolves into altitude deviation altit...

Attributes
ACN	231058
Time
Date	199301
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : acy
State Reference	NJ
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2600 msl bound upper : 5500
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : acy
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude cruise other descent : approach
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 80 flight time total : 2200 flight time type : 100
ASRS Report	231058
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot altitude deviation : undershoot inflight encounter : vfr in imc inflight encounter other non adherence : clearance other anomaly
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : provided flight assist controller : issued new clearance flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

On jan/sun/93 corporation called to move an light transport. I was to be the chase plane and pick up the crew in cape may. The light transport was not IFR equipped. We checked WX and it was said to be VFR at wwd 2000 ft overcast and 12 mi visibility improving. The light transport left and I had to fuel up the small aircraft. Due to complications in fueling, (broken fuel truck) the delay was 1 1/2 hours. 20 mi north of atlantic city, I encountered snow and asked for a WX update. Acy was IFR, millville (wwd) 1600 overcast. At that point, I decided to file IFR. Given a clearance to 5000 ft, I complied. During my climb, I picked up ice and informed the controller. At 5000, ice was shedding. Controller informed me I was at 4500, I then climbed to 5500 indicated. There was a discrepancy of 500 ft between my aircraft and the controller and this did clear itself as I shed the ice and things were fine. As the flight progressed, my wife, who was a passenger, was feeling ill. When I asked her to get my approach plates in the aft of the aircraft, she said it would make her more ill. I did try to get them, only to lose control of the aircraft slightly. I informed approach that I did not have the approach plate. I was being vectored to the approach. The controller, by the way, was very helpful and gave me the approach information. Keep in mind this was to be a VFR flight, therefore, I would not have needed any of these items. Upon descent, I was given 2000 to intercept the localizer again. I picked up ice and again my altimeter was off as informed by ATC, or should I say there was a discrepancy on altitude. I was at 2000. ATC told me to hold 2000. I then climbed to 2400 indicated and we were again in agreement that I was at 2000 and intercepted the localizer and landed. Problems of altitude arose from ice. When I encountered the ice, I was prepared to return to my homebase of 10N, but didn't. Probably poor judgement on my part. Contributing factors: WX was not as forecast. Corrective actions could have been to stay between cloud layers and return to 10N. I did have enough fuel plus about 2 hours reserve. Because I had a very helpful controller, I decided to continue. If the approach could not have been made, I could always return to 10N. To prevent this, a better forecast could have been given.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: IMC IN VFR FLT MANDATES A REQUEST FOR IFR FLT PLAN WHICH EVOLVES INTO ALTDEV ALT OVERSHOT UNDERSHOT AS ACFT SUFFERS THROUGH ENRTE WX FACTORS.

Narrative: ON JAN/SUN/93 CORPORATION CALLED TO MOVE AN LTT. I WAS TO BE THE CHASE PLANE AND PICK UP THE CREW IN CAPE MAY. THE LTT WAS NOT IFR EQUIPPED. WE CHKED WX AND IT WAS SAID TO BE VFR AT WWD 2000 FT OVCST AND 12 MI VISIBILITY IMPROVING. THE LTT LEFT AND I HAD TO FUEL UP THE SMA. DUE TO COMPLICATIONS IN FUELING, (BROKEN FUEL TRUCK) THE DELAY WAS 1 1/2 HRS. 20 MI N OF ATLANTIC CITY, I ENCOUNTERED SNOW AND ASKED FOR A WX UPDATE. ACY WAS IFR, MILLVILLE (WWD) 1600 OVCST. AT THAT POINT, I DECIDED TO FILE IFR. GIVEN A CLRNC TO 5000 FT, I COMPLIED. DURING MY CLB, I PICKED UP ICE AND INFORMED THE CTLR. AT 5000, ICE WAS SHEDDING. CTLR INFORMED ME I WAS AT 4500, I THEN CLBED TO 5500 INDICATED. THERE WAS A DISCREPANCY OF 500 FT BTWN MY ACFT AND THE CTLR AND THIS DID CLR ITSELF AS I SHED THE ICE AND THINGS WERE FINE. AS THE FLT PROGRESSED, MY WIFE, WHO WAS A PAX, WAS FEELING ILL. WHEN I ASKED HER TO GET MY APCH PLATES IN THE AFT OF THE ACFT, SHE SAID IT WOULD MAKE HER MORE ILL. I DID TRY TO GET THEM, ONLY TO LOSE CTL OF THE ACFT SLIGHTLY. I INFORMED APCH THAT I DID NOT HAVE THE APCH PLATE. I WAS BEING VECTORED TO THE APCH. THE CTLR, BY THE WAY, WAS VERY HELPFUL AND GAVE ME THE APCH INFO. KEEP IN MIND THIS WAS TO BE A VFR FLT, THEREFORE, I WOULD NOT HAVE NEEDED ANY OF THESE ITEMS. UPON DSCNT, I WAS GIVEN 2000 TO INTERCEPT THE LOC AGAIN. I PICKED UP ICE AND AGAIN MY ALTIMETER WAS OFF AS INFORMED BY ATC, OR SHOULD I SAY THERE WAS A DISCREPANCY ON ALT. I WAS AT 2000. ATC TOLD ME TO HOLD 2000. I THEN CLBED TO 2400 INDICATED AND WE WERE AGAIN IN AGREEMENT THAT I WAS AT 2000 AND INTERCEPTED THE LOC AND LANDED. PROBS OF ALT AROSE FROM ICE. WHEN I ENCOUNTERED THE ICE, I WAS PREPARED TO RETURN TO MY HOMEBASE OF 10N, BUT DIDN'T. PROBABLY POOR JUDGEMENT ON MY PART. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: WX WAS NOT AS FORECAST. CORRECTIVE ACTIONS COULD HAVE BEEN TO STAY BTWN CLOUD LAYERS AND RETURN TO 10N. I DID HAVE ENOUGH FUEL PLUS ABOUT 2 HRS RESERVE. BECAUSE I HAD A VERY HELPFUL CTLR, I DECIDED TO CONTINUE. IF THE APCH COULD NOT HAVE BEEN MADE, I COULD ALWAYS RETURN TO 10N. TO PREVENT THIS, A BETTER FORECAST COULD HAVE BEEN GIVEN.

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.

IMC in VFR flight mandates a request for IFR flight plan which evolves into altitude deviation altitude overshot undershot as aircraft suffers through en route WX factors.