CFI urges her student to request a special VFR clearance to land at ccr.

Attributes
ACN	232884
Time
Date	199302
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ccr
State Reference	CA
Environment
Flight Conditions	Special VFR
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : ccr
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft
Flight Phase	cruise other cruise other
Flight Plan	None
Aircraft 2
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : visual
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot instruction : instructor
Qualification	pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 430 flight time type : 150
ASRS Report	232884
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : student
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : weather non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I signed my student off on his first solo cross country to ukiah, ca. The WX was above VFR and forecast to be above VFR for his entire flight. However, on final phase to landing here at ccr, he was advised by the tower that the airport had just gone IFR due to visibility falling to 2 mi in haze. The tower then gave him the new ATIS information and asked him to state his intentions. At the same time, I was in another airplane with another student and heard the conversation between him and the tower. I immediately jumped on the frequency and instructed the tower that he was a student pilot and that he needed a 'special VFR' clearance. The tower then, once again, asked him to state his intentions. He had obviously heard my transmission and proceeded to request a special VFR into ccr. The tower gave him the clearance and he landed without any further problems. I realize that instructing my student to land with a special VFR clearance was in violation with far 61.89 (a)(6), specifying at least 3 mi visibility for student pilots. I made a decision that I felt was in my student's best interest under the circumstances.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CFI URGES HER STUDENT TO REQUEST A SPECIAL VFR CLRNC TO LAND AT CCR.

Narrative: I SIGNED MY STUDENT OFF ON HIS FIRST SOLO XCOUNTRY TO UKIAH, CA. THE WX WAS ABOVE VFR AND FORECAST TO BE ABOVE VFR FOR HIS ENTIRE FLT. HOWEVER, ON FINAL PHASE TO LNDG HERE AT CCR, HE WAS ADVISED BY THE TWR THAT THE ARPT HAD JUST GONE IFR DUE TO VISIBILITY FALLING TO 2 MI IN HAZE. THE TWR THEN GAVE HIM THE NEW ATIS INFO AND ASKED HIM TO STATE HIS INTENTIONS. AT THE SAME TIME, I WAS IN ANOTHER AIRPLANE WITH ANOTHER STUDENT AND HEARD THE CONVERSATION BTWN HIM AND THE TWR. I IMMEDIATELY JUMPED ON THE FREQ AND INSTRUCTED THE TWR THAT HE WAS A STUDENT PLT AND THAT HE NEEDED A 'SPECIAL VFR' CLRNC. THE TWR THEN, ONCE AGAIN, ASKED HIM TO STATE HIS INTENTIONS. HE HAD OBVIOUSLY HEARD MY XMISSION AND PROCEEDED TO REQUEST A SPECIAL VFR INTO CCR. THE TWR GAVE HIM THE CLRNC AND HE LANDED WITHOUT ANY FURTHER PROBS. I REALIZE THAT INSTRUCTING MY STUDENT TO LAND WITH A SPECIAL VFR CLRNC WAS IN VIOLATION WITH FAR 61.89 (A)(6), SPECIFYING AT LEAST 3 MI VISIBILITY FOR STUDENT PLTS. I MADE A DECISION THAT I FELT WAS IN MY STUDENT'S BEST INTEREST UNDER THE CIRCUMSTANCES.

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.