Aircraft flown into IMC without IMC clearance.

Attributes
ACN	274024
Time
Date	199406
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0001 To 0600
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : clt
State Reference	NC
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2500 msl bound upper : 2500
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : clt
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	climbout : initial
Route In Use	approach : visual departure other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 63 flight time total : 715 flight time type : 235
ASRS Report	274024
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : departure
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : vfr in imc non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other controllera other other : unspecified cockpit
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Departed 29J expecting receipt of airborne activation of IFR flight plan. Operational failure of radio activated runway light system at 29J in conjunction with ATC at clt failing to return repeated calls over a 10 min interval resulted in pilot assuming a radio failure. For flight safety a climb was made from visual conditions in class G airspace IMC into class east airspace beneath class B airspace, as airport location was lost during turn, and without clearance. Climb was preceded by squawking 7700 followed by 7600. Following squawk, successful contact was made with ATC. Activation of flight plan and successful completion of IFR flight followed. 29J plans underway for roc from ground at 29J. Maintenance investigating correction of problem with lighting activation system. Photo cel locking out radio activation. ATCT at cae. Nonspecific when asked if problem existed at time of failure to respond to calls.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACFT FLOWN INTO IMC WITHOUT IMC CLRNC.

Narrative: DEPARTED 29J EXPECTING RECEIPT OF AIRBORNE ACTIVATION OF IFR FLT PLAN. OPERATIONAL FAILURE OF RADIO ACTIVATED RWY LIGHT SYS AT 29J IN CONJUNCTION WITH ATC AT CLT FAILING TO RETURN REPEATED CALLS OVER A 10 MIN INTERVAL RESULTED IN PLT ASSUMING A RADIO FAILURE. FOR FLT SAFETY A CLB WAS MADE FROM VISUAL CONDITIONS IN CLASS G AIRSPACE IMC INTO CLASS E AIRSPACE BENEATH CLASS B AIRSPACE, AS ARPT LOCATION WAS LOST DURING TURN, AND WITHOUT CLRNC. CLB WAS PRECEDED BY SQUAWKING 7700 FOLLOWED BY 7600. FOLLOWING SQUAWK, SUCCESSFUL CONTACT WAS MADE WITH ATC. ACTIVATION OF FLT PLAN AND SUCCESSFUL COMPLETION OF IFR FLT FOLLOWED. 29J PLANS UNDERWAY FOR ROC FROM GND AT 29J. MAINT INVESTIGATING CORRECTION OF PROB WITH LIGHTING ACTIVATION SYS. PHOTO CEL LOCKING OUT RADIO ACTIVATION. ATCT AT CAE. NONSPECIFIC WHEN ASKED IF PROB EXISTED AT TIME OF FAILURE TO RESPOND TO CALLS.

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.