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Due WX deterioration pilot flies low and enters air traffic area's and control zone without clearance.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 242696 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199305 |
| Day | Sun |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : cgx |
| State Reference | IL |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 1000 msl bound upper : 1000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | Marginal |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : ord tower : cgx tower : ugn tower : mco |
| Operator | general aviation : personal |
| Make Model Name | Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear |
| Flight Phase | cruise other |
| Flight Plan | None |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | Other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : instrument pilot : private |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 25 flight time total : 1200 flight time type : 25 |
| ASRS Report | 242696 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | inflight encounter : vfr in imc inflight encounter : weather non adherence : far other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : anomaly accepted |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
Returning from tennessee VFR the WX started closing in significantly 50 mi south of chicago. Although IFR capable and competent, rather than deal with the chicago TCA and approach control, which I feared would either vector me out over the lake or way west (and in either event increase my altitude such that I wouldn't be able to 'see' the numerous surrounding rain cells), I opted to navigation down low VFR in admittedly marginal conditions. I uneventfully skirted a line of cells by diverting easterly towards south bend, north in clear air towards michigan city, and then back west to gyy (gary). From this point I elected to fly the lakeshore up to kenosha and is the segment of flight in which, in retrospect, I probably should have asked approach to assist me to kenosha on an IFR clearance. When I radioed meigs for a fly through their air traffic area they responded that they were IFR. I should have asked for a special VFR, but didn't, so I encroached upon their air traffic area. From meigs to kenosha I was compelled to fly at 1000 ft MSL ( 420 ft above the lake) due to low ceilings and intermittent heavy rain. Visibility never got below 1 mi, and I stayed about 1/2 mi off shore. I also suspect that I encroached upon ugn airport's air traffic area (didn't think to call them -- too busy visually navigating). Once abeam city of kenosha I navigated directed to airport. LORAN was invaluable. Next time I'd get an IFR clearance and do it right.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: DUE WX DETERIORATION PLT FLIES LOW AND ENTERS ATA'S AND CTL ZONE WITHOUT CLRNC.
Narrative: RETURNING FROM TENNESSEE VFR THE WX STARTED CLOSING IN SIGNIFICANTLY 50 MI S OF CHICAGO. ALTHOUGH IFR CAPABLE AND COMPETENT, RATHER THAN DEAL WITH THE CHICAGO TCA AND APCH CTL, WHICH I FEARED WOULD EITHER VECTOR ME OUT OVER THE LAKE OR WAY W (AND IN EITHER EVENT INCREASE MY ALT SUCH THAT I WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO 'SEE' THE NUMEROUS SURROUNDING RAIN CELLS), I OPTED TO NAV DOWN LOW VFR IN ADMITTEDLY MARGINAL CONDITIONS. I UNEVENTFULLY SKIRTED A LINE OF CELLS BY DIVERTING EASTERLY TOWARDS S BEND, N IN CLR AIR TOWARDS MICHIGAN CITY, AND THEN BACK W TO GYY (GARY). FROM THIS POINT I ELECTED TO FLY THE LAKESHORE UP TO KENOSHA AND IS THE SEGMENT OF FLT IN WHICH, IN RETROSPECT, I PROBABLY SHOULD HAVE ASKED APCH TO ASSIST ME TO KENOSHA ON AN IFR CLRNC. WHEN I RADIOED MEIGS FOR A FLY THROUGH THEIR ATA THEY RESPONDED THAT THEY WERE IFR. I SHOULD HAVE ASKED FOR A SPECIAL VFR, BUT DIDN'T, SO I ENCROACHED UPON THEIR ATA. FROM MEIGS TO KENOSHA I WAS COMPELLED TO FLY AT 1000 FT MSL ( 420 FT ABOVE THE LAKE) DUE TO LOW CEILINGS AND INTERMITTENT HVY RAIN. VISIBILITY NEVER GOT BELOW 1 MI, AND I STAYED ABOUT 1/2 MI OFF SHORE. I ALSO SUSPECT THAT I ENCROACHED UPON UGN ARPT'S ATA (DIDN'T THINK TO CALL THEM -- TOO BUSY VISUALLY NAVING). ONCE ABEAM CITY OF KENOSHA I NAVIGATED DIRECTED TO ARPT. LORAN WAS INVALUABLE. NEXT TIME I'D GET AN IFR CLRNC AND DO IT RIGHT.
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.