Small aircraft descends through cloud opening levels at 700 ft above ocean.

Attributes
ACN	256508
Time
Date	199311
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : crg
State Reference	FL
Altitude	msl bound lower : 700 msl bound upper : 6500
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : jax
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft
Flight Phase	cruise other descent other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 16 flight time total : 1013 flight time type : 444
ASRS Report	256508
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : weather other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : became reoriented other
Consequence	other Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

I was en route on a VFR flight plan down V243 from vna through jax at 7500 ft MSL, with a planned landing at X47. About 30 mi north of crg, tracking the crg VOR at 140 degrees inbound, with flight following on ZJX, I monitored jax ATIS at C14 broken, 55 overcast. To keep some visual ground contact, I elected to descend below the 5500 ft ceiling. As I neared jax, now with jax approach, I was unable to maintain VFR at 5500 ft, so descended to 4500 ft. That altitude also proved unworkable, so I ascended through breaks back up to 6500 ft, continuing toward crg and talking to jax approach. At about XA35, sgj AWOS, some 20 mi so F jax, was reporting 'no clouds below 12000 ft.' by XA45, sgj was reporting 3500 ft scattered. Believing that the WX south was deteriorating, I planned to descend through the next available hole. Shortly thereafter, I saw a hole all the way down. Descending rapidly in a tight turn, I broke out at 700 ft MSL about a mi off shore. Approach offered vectors to craig, but I regained my composure and elected to continue south down the beach at 1200 ft MSL to X47. An aircraft landing at X47 provided local WX as clear and 7 mi with haze. The trip to X47 and landing were uneventful. Reflecting on the incident, I used poor judgement in 2 primary areas: 1) I could have learned from flight watch that the adverse conditions were local to jax. I had ample fuel and adequate WX to overfly jax at 7500 ft to good VFR south of sgj. 2) I failed to exercise the 4 C's. Although approach volunteered no WX information or encouragement to stay high and continue south, I am sure that their assistance need only have been requested. In summary, I hazarded my life and the aircraft by a precipitous decision to regain ground contact. It is my belief that part of the problem is flying alone, without a companion, no matter how unqualified, with whom to discuss problems. I also think that a few words of reassurance from one of the 3 approach controllers I passed through would have prevented this.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA DSNDS THROUGH CLOUD OPENING LEVELS AT 700 FT ABOVE OCEAN.

Narrative: I WAS ENRTE ON A VFR FLT PLAN DOWN V243 FROM VNA THROUGH JAX AT 7500 FT MSL, WITH A PLANNED LNDG AT X47. ABOUT 30 MI N OF CRG, TRACKING THE CRG VOR AT 140 DEGS INBOUND, WITH FLT FOLLOWING ON ZJX, I MONITORED JAX ATIS AT C14 BROKEN, 55 OVCST. TO KEEP SOME VISUAL GND CONTACT, I ELECTED TO DSND BELOW THE 5500 FT CEILING. AS I NEARED JAX, NOW WITH JAX APCH, I WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN VFR AT 5500 FT, SO DSNDED TO 4500 FT. THAT ALT ALSO PROVED UNWORKABLE, SO I ASCENDED THROUGH BREAKS BACK UP TO 6500 FT, CONTINUING TOWARD CRG AND TALKING TO JAX APCH. AT ABOUT XA35, SGJ AWOS, SOME 20 MI SO F JAX, WAS RPTING 'NO CLOUDS BELOW 12000 FT.' BY XA45, SGJ WAS RPTING 3500 FT SCATTERED. BELIEVING THAT THE WX S WAS DETERIORATING, I PLANNED TO DSND THROUGH THE NEXT AVAILABLE HOLE. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, I SAW A HOLE ALL THE WAY DOWN. DSNDING RAPIDLY IN A TIGHT TURN, I BROKE OUT AT 700 FT MSL ABOUT A MI OFF SHORE. APCH OFFERED VECTORS TO CRAIG, BUT I REGAINED MY COMPOSURE AND ELECTED TO CONTINUE S DOWN THE BEACH AT 1200 FT MSL TO X47. AN ACFT LNDG AT X47 PROVIDED LCL WX AS CLR AND 7 MI WITH HAZE. THE TRIP TO X47 AND LNDG WERE UNEVENTFUL. REFLECTING ON THE INCIDENT, I USED POOR JUDGEMENT IN 2 PRIMARY AREAS: 1) I COULD HAVE LEARNED FROM FLT WATCH THAT THE ADVERSE CONDITIONS WERE LCL TO JAX. I HAD AMPLE FUEL AND ADEQUATE WX TO OVERFLY JAX AT 7500 FT TO GOOD VFR S OF SGJ. 2) I FAILED TO EXERCISE THE 4 C'S. ALTHOUGH APCH VOLUNTEERED NO WX INFO OR ENCOURAGEMENT TO STAY HIGH AND CONTINUE S, I AM SURE THAT THEIR ASSISTANCE NEED ONLY HAVE BEEN REQUESTED. IN SUMMARY, I HAZARDED MY LIFE AND THE ACFT BY A PRECIPITOUS DECISION TO REGAIN GND CONTACT. IT IS MY BELIEF THAT PART OF THE PROB IS FLYING ALONE, WITHOUT A COMPANION, NO MATTER HOW UNQUALIFIED, WITH WHOM TO DISCUSS PROBS. I ALSO THINK THAT A FEW WORDS OF REASSURANCE FROM ONE OF THE 3 APCH CTLRS I PASSED THROUGH WOULD HAVE PREVENTED THIS.

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.