Private pilot of a surplus military fgt aircraft flew into unforecasted WX and was unable to maintai...

Attributes
ACN	239469
Time
Date	199304
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : cha
State Reference	TN
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3000 msl bound upper : 3000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Marginal
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : bna
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Fighter
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 35 flight time total : 1600 flight time type : 100
ASRS Report	239469
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude inflight encounter : vfr in imc inflight encounter : weather non adherence : clearance other spatial deviation other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted none taken : detected after the fact other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

During a VFR flight from columbus, GA, to louisville, ky, while returning from lakeland, fl, I encountered severe unpredicted thunderstorms 5 mi north of chattanooga, tn. I was flying a military fgt with IFR equipment, but without certification for IFR flight and without an autoplt. My initial altitude was 4500 ft MSL and heading 360 degrees. I immediately turned to 180 degrees and engaged my emergency search mode equipment, which showed chattanooga airport approximately 5 mi and 130 degree heading. I visually located the airport and began circling, keeping the airport in sight. At this time heavy rain and turbulence was encountered. I called chattanooga approach control and asked for permission to land. I was told that the airport was IFR and I could not land. I again asked for a visual approach to the airport. Chattanooga approach then asked if I was IFR qualified and equipped. I replied yes, but requested a visual approach because I was not prepared for an IFR approach and wished to remain VFR. Chattanooga approach control then cleared me for the ILS approach to runway 20 and instructed me with vectors and altitudes for the above approach. I attempted to comply with the instructions and remained VFR. Due to extreme turbulence, wind shear, and rain leaking into the cockpit, I was unable to comply accurately with ATC instructions. I was then given another frequency change and cleared for an ASR approach. I saw the airport at approximately 3000 ft MSL and 4-5 mi distance and landed without difficulty on runway 20. I saw no other aircraft during this period. I later called the control tower to thank the controllers for their help and was informed that I had not maintained adequate separation and had set off the alarms on the radar, thus requiring them to file a report. I again thanked the controllers for their help. I believe the situation could have been avoided if I had asked for a contact approach or had been cleared for a visual approach to the airport. I remained VFR at all times, but the extreme turbulence and wind shear made holding altitude and directional stability almost impossible.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PVT PLT OF A SURPLUS MIL FGT ACFT FLEW INTO UNFORECASTED WX AND WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN ALT AND HDGS ASSIGNED BY ATC FOR AN INST APCH CAUSING LTSS.

Narrative: DURING A VFR FLT FROM COLUMBUS, GA, TO LOUISVILLE, KY, WHILE RETURNING FROM LAKELAND, FL, I ENCOUNTERED SEVERE UNPREDICTED TSTMS 5 MI N OF CHATTANOOGA, TN. I WAS FLYING A MIL FGT WITH IFR EQUIP, BUT WITHOUT CERTIFICATION FOR IFR FLT AND WITHOUT AN AUTOPLT. MY INITIAL ALT WAS 4500 FT MSL AND HDG 360 DEGS. I IMMEDIATELY TURNED TO 180 DEGS AND ENGAGED MY EMER SEARCH MODE EQUIP, WHICH SHOWED CHATTANOOGA ARPT APPROX 5 MI AND 130 DEG HDG. I VISUALLY LOCATED THE ARPT AND BEGAN CIRCLING, KEEPING THE ARPT IN SIGHT. AT THIS TIME HVY RAIN AND TURB WAS ENCOUNTERED. I CALLED CHATTANOOGA APCH CTL AND ASKED FOR PERMISSION TO LAND. I WAS TOLD THAT THE ARPT WAS IFR AND I COULD NOT LAND. I AGAIN ASKED FOR A VISUAL APCH TO THE ARPT. CHATTANOOGA APCH THEN ASKED IF I WAS IFR QUALIFIED AND EQUIPPED. I REPLIED YES, BUT REQUESTED A VISUAL APCH BECAUSE I WAS NOT PREPARED FOR AN IFR APCH AND WISHED TO REMAIN VFR. CHATTANOOGA APCH CTL THEN CLRED ME FOR THE ILS APCH TO RWY 20 AND INSTRUCTED ME WITH VECTORS AND ALTS FOR THE ABOVE APCH. I ATTEMPTED TO COMPLY WITH THE INSTRUCTIONS AND REMAINED VFR. DUE TO EXTREME TURB, WIND SHEAR, AND RAIN LEAKING INTO THE COCKPIT, I WAS UNABLE TO COMPLY ACCURATELY WITH ATC INSTRUCTIONS. I WAS THEN GIVEN ANOTHER FREQ CHANGE AND CLRED FOR AN ASR APCH. I SAW THE ARPT AT APPROX 3000 FT MSL AND 4-5 MI DISTANCE AND LANDED WITHOUT DIFFICULTY ON RWY 20. I SAW NO OTHER ACFT DURING THIS PERIOD. I LATER CALLED THE CTL TWR TO THANK THE CTLRS FOR THEIR HELP AND WAS INFORMED THAT I HAD NOT MAINTAINED ADEQUATE SEPARATION AND HAD SET OFF THE ALARMS ON THE RADAR, THUS REQUIRING THEM TO FILE A RPT. I AGAIN THANKED THE CTLRS FOR THEIR HELP. I BELIEVE THE SIT COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED IF I HAD ASKED FOR A CONTACT APCH OR HAD BEEN CLRED FOR A VISUAL APCH TO THE ARPT. I REMAINED VFR AT ALL TIMES, BUT THE EXTREME TURB AND WIND SHEAR MADE HOLDING ALT AND DIRECTIONAL STABILITY ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE.

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.

Private pilot of a surplus military fgt aircraft flew into unforecasted WX and was unable to maintain altitude and headings assigned by ATC for an instrument approach causing less than standard separation.