In-flight encounter with en route WX factors in conflict with WX reports forecast flight of 3 small ...

Attributes
ACN	282148
Time
Date	199409
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : lnk
State Reference	NE
Altitude	msl bound lower : 9500 msl bound upper : 11000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zmp
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise other cruise other ground : preflight
Flight Plan	None
Aircraft 2
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise other cruise other ground : preflight
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 75 flight time total : 1000
ASRS Report	282148
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical inflight encounter : vfr in imc inflight encounter : weather non adherence : far other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	flight crew : became reoriented flight crew : exited adverse environment flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Flight of 3 aircraft left wray, co, for blakesburg, ia. WX from FSS was to be VFR on top for 100 mi or 1 hour through clouds were supposed to end. Clouds were supposed to start again after about 50 mi. 1 of the aircraft lost radio on takeoff and because separated from the group. The rest of us were extremely concerned. Finally located missing plane in about 1 1/2 hours. Had not come to the end of the clouds at 2 hours. Found only 1 hole and it was too small to use. Most of the flight was at odd plus 500 ft since we were going east. Clouds eventually forced me to 11000 ft during a search for holes that were supposed to be north of I80 and west of lincoln, northeast. Above 9500 ft I did not observe the odd plus 500 ft due to search for holes. Contacted FSS at lincoln (?) (olw) to get WX updates and information. 1) this was a total waste of tune. Ultimately, we found a hole well outside of lincoln and came out under a ceiling of about 2500 ft AGL and 3-4 mi visibility with light rain and some fog patches that we avoided. Flow southeast about 30-40 mi to crete where we landed safely. What did I do wrong? Believed WX report and went VFR on top rather than staying low. Also we got a group WX report rather than me getting it direct. I was distracted by the search for the other airplane. Allowed others to change plans in midstream, called FSS. Blew additional plus 500 what did I do right? Climbed to look for holes. Got pilot reports on 122.75 that allowed hole location and successful descent. What am I going to do in the future? Stay below the clouds be more cautious about believing WX reports. Get an instrument rating this yr so I can go IFR if necessary. Get my VOR fixed. Summary: I blew it by going VFR on top and not watching my altitude during my search for holes. Ultimately found a hole, verified position using pilotage and set a course for a nearby airport. Avoided towers by avoiding fog patches and by following a carefully selected course. GPS and ADF were very useful above and below the clouds. Pilot reports were very helpful in locating holes and getting actual WX conditions below the clouds. In our group sense was that FSS was more interested in getting us to admit we went IFR than giving us useful information. My last experience was just the opposite -- they were quite useful.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: INFLT ENCOUNTER WITH ENRTE WX FACTORS IN CONFLICT WITH WX RPTS FORECAST FLT OF 3 SMA'S TO CONTACT FSS FOR UPDATED CLOUD CONDITIONS AND PIREPS. POSSIBLE IMC IN VFR FLT. VFR FLT ON TOP.

Narrative: FLT OF 3 ACFT LEFT WRAY, CO, FOR BLAKESBURG, IA. WX FROM FSS WAS TO BE VFR ON TOP FOR 100 MI OR 1 HR THROUGH CLOUDS WERE SUPPOSED TO END. CLOUDS WERE SUPPOSED TO START AGAIN AFTER ABOUT 50 MI. 1 OF THE ACFT LOST RADIO ON TKOF AND BECAUSE SEPARATED FROM THE GROUP. THE REST OF US WERE EXTREMELY CONCERNED. FINALLY LOCATED MISSING PLANE IN ABOUT 1 1/2 HRS. HAD NOT COME TO THE END OF THE CLOUDS AT 2 HRS. FOUND ONLY 1 HOLE AND IT WAS TOO SMALL TO USE. MOST OF THE FLT WAS AT ODD PLUS 500 FT SINCE WE WERE GOING E. CLOUDS EVENTUALLY FORCED ME TO 11000 FT DURING A SEARCH FOR HOLES THAT WERE SUPPOSED TO BE N OF I80 AND W OF LINCOLN, NE. ABOVE 9500 FT I DID NOT OBSERVE THE ODD PLUS 500 FT DUE TO SEARCH FOR HOLES. CONTACTED FSS AT LINCOLN (?) (OLW) TO GET WX UPDATES AND INFO. 1) THIS WAS A TOTAL WASTE OF TUNE. ULTIMATELY, WE FOUND A HOLE WELL OUTSIDE OF LINCOLN AND CAME OUT UNDER A CEILING OF ABOUT 2500 FT AGL AND 3-4 MI VISIBILITY WITH LIGHT RAIN AND SOME FOG PATCHES THAT WE AVOIDED. FLOW SE ABOUT 30-40 MI TO CRETE WHERE WE LANDED SAFELY. WHAT DID I DO WRONG? BELIEVED WX RPT AND WENT VFR ON TOP RATHER THAN STAYING LOW. ALSO WE GOT A GROUP WX RPT RATHER THAN ME GETTING IT DIRECT. I WAS DISTRACTED BY THE SEARCH FOR THE OTHER AIRPLANE. ALLOWED OTHERS TO CHANGE PLANS IN MIDSTREAM, CALLED FSS. BLEW ADDITIONAL PLUS 500 WHAT DID I DO RIGHT? CLBED TO LOOK FOR HOLES. GOT PLT RPTS ON 122.75 THAT ALLOWED HOLE LOCATION AND SUCCESSFUL DSCNT. WHAT AM I GOING TO DO IN THE FUTURE? STAY BELOW THE CLOUDS BE MORE CAUTIOUS ABOUT BELIEVING WX RPTS. GET AN INSTR RATING THIS YR SO I CAN GO IFR IF NECESSARY. GET MY VOR FIXED. SUMMARY: I BLEW IT BY GOING VFR ON TOP AND NOT WATCHING MY ALT DURING MY SEARCH FOR HOLES. ULTIMATELY FOUND A HOLE, VERIFIED POS USING PILOTAGE AND SET A COURSE FOR A NEARBY ARPT. AVOIDED TWRS BY AVOIDING FOG PATCHES AND BY FOLLOWING A CAREFULLY SELECTED COURSE. GPS AND ADF WERE VERY USEFUL ABOVE AND BELOW THE CLOUDS. PLT RPTS WERE VERY HELPFUL IN LOCATING HOLES AND GETTING ACTUAL WX CONDITIONS BELOW THE CLOUDS. IN OUR GROUP SENSE WAS THAT FSS WAS MORE INTERESTED IN GETTING US TO ADMIT WE WENT IFR THAN GIVING US USEFUL INFO. MY LAST EXPERIENCE WAS JUST THE OPPOSITE -- THEY WERE QUITE USEFUL.

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.

In-flight encounter with en route WX factors in conflict with WX reports forecast flight of 3 small aircraft's to contact FSS for updated cloud conditions and PIREPS. Possible IMC in VFR flight. VFR flight on top.