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Captain of an light transport air carrier aircraft canceled IFR during approach since he believed that the reported WX was VFR resulting in VFR in IMC.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 247823 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199307 |
| Day | Thu |
| Local Time Of Day | 0001 To 0600 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : unv |
| State Reference | PA |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 4000 msl bound upper : 4000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | IMC |
| Light | Night |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | Medium Transport, High Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng |
| Flight Phase | descent : approach landing other |
| Route In Use | approach : visual |
| Flight Plan | None |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : cfi pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 14000 flight time type : 1000 |
| ASRS Report | 247823 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : commercial pilot : instrument |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | inflight encounter : weather inflight encounter : vfr in imc non adherence : far other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : detected after the fact |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
While approaching state college, PA (under an overcast with lightning in the overcast), the first officer called the official WX observer at the field. The observation was 100 scattered, 800 broken, with a higher overcast and 6 min thunderstorms. I did not hear the WX report completely (hearing only 100 scattered and the higher overcast and 6 mi in thunderstorms). With the airport in view 8 mi out and with the thunderstorms moved away from the field, I instructed the first officer to cancel IFR in flight (to avoid the communication difficulties on the ground). He did so and we proceeded inbound VFR and landed with no incident. Afterwards, he asked why we cancelled IFR with a reported 800 broken ceiling (which I did not hear). Our failure(south) included inadequate communication in the cockpit (what my thinking was when cancelling -- what he heard the WX report to be). From the cockpit, it was VFR and the observation given was apparently old. The late night and long day of flying contributed to the error of cancelling IFR with a reported 800 broken.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: CAPT OF AN LTT ACR ACFT CANCELED IFR DURING APCH SINCE HE BELIEVED THAT THE RPTED WX WAS VFR RESULTING IN VFR IN IMC.
Narrative: WHILE APCHING STATE COLLEGE, PA (UNDER AN OVCST WITH LIGHTNING IN THE OVCST), THE FO CALLED THE OFFICIAL WX OBSERVER AT THE FIELD. THE OBSERVATION WAS 100 SCATTERED, 800 BROKEN, WITH A HIGHER OVCST AND 6 MIN TSTMS. I DID NOT HEAR THE WX RPT COMPLETELY (HEARING ONLY 100 SCATTERED AND THE HIGHER OVCST AND 6 MI IN TSTMS). WITH THE ARPT IN VIEW 8 MI OUT AND WITH THE TSTMS MOVED AWAY FROM THE FIELD, I INSTRUCTED THE FO TO CANCEL IFR IN FLT (TO AVOID THE COM DIFFICULTIES ON THE GND). HE DID SO AND WE PROCEEDED INBOUND VFR AND LANDED WITH NO INCIDENT. AFTERWARDS, HE ASKED WHY WE CANCELLED IFR WITH A RPTED 800 BROKEN CEILING (WHICH I DID NOT HEAR). OUR FAILURE(S) INCLUDED INADEQUATE COM IN THE COCKPIT (WHAT MY THINKING WAS WHEN CANCELLING -- WHAT HE HEARD THE WX RPT TO BE). FROM THE COCKPIT, IT WAS VFR AND THE OBSERVATION GIVEN WAS APPARENTLY OLD. THE LATE NIGHT AND LONG DAY OF FLYING CONTRIBUTED TO THE ERROR OF CANCELLING IFR WITH A RPTED 800 BROKEN.
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.