Pop up traffic. - NASA ASRS

Attributes
ACN	299635
Time
Date	199503
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : pne
State Reference	PA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 1100 msl bound upper : 1100
Environment
Flight Conditions	Marginal
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : phl tower : pne
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot instruction : instructor
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 130 flight time total : 1603 flight time type : 450
ASRS Report	299635
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot instruction : trainee
Qualification	pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 2250 flight time type : 10
ASRS Report	300240
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : weather inflight encounter : vfr in imc non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation
Situations
ATC Facility	procedure or policy : unspecified

Narrative:

After receiving several WX briefings with the lowest ceiling reported as ocnl 1500 ft overcast. My student and I took off from pne for some local pattern work. Upon reaching 1100 ft MSL, it was apparent that the ceiling was lower than reported and that we would not be able to maintain required cloud clearance. We advised tower that we were inbound, and we were cleared to land runway 24. We lost sight of the airport and then advised tower that we'd like to switch to phl approach. After approval, we flew over runway 24, which was now in sight, but rather than conducting an unstable approach, we called approach and asked if they could vector us back for the ILS runway 24. The controller asked if we could maintain VFR at 2000 ft. I responded, 'negative,' and was told that he could not vector me, then. I then asked to file an IFR clearance into pne. The controller granted my request, with the admonishment that I should have filed before departing. We were then vectored and landed uneventfully. The reason for my report is to express my agreement with the controller's advice on predep filing. That is my normal procedure, but, based on the ATIS at the time of departure, I felt that we would have adequate cloud clearance. On future training flts, with marginal WX reported, I'll take the extra time to file.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: POP UP TFC.

Narrative: AFTER RECEIVING SEVERAL WX BRIEFINGS WITH THE LOWEST CEILING RPTED AS OCNL 1500 FT OVCST. MY STUDENT AND I TOOK OFF FROM PNE FOR SOME LCL PATTERN WORK. UPON REACHING 1100 FT MSL, IT WAS APPARENT THAT THE CEILING WAS LOWER THAN RPTED AND THAT WE WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO MAINTAIN REQUIRED CLOUD CLRNC. WE ADVISED TWR THAT WE WERE INBOUND, AND WE WERE CLRED TO LAND RWY 24. WE LOST SIGHT OF THE ARPT AND THEN ADVISED TWR THAT WE'D LIKE TO SWITCH TO PHL APCH. AFTER APPROVAL, WE FLEW OVER RWY 24, WHICH WAS NOW IN SIGHT, BUT RATHER THAN CONDUCTING AN UNSTABLE APCH, WE CALLED APCH AND ASKED IF THEY COULD VECTOR US BACK FOR THE ILS RWY 24. THE CTLR ASKED IF WE COULD MAINTAIN VFR AT 2000 FT. I RESPONDED, 'NEGATIVE,' AND WAS TOLD THAT HE COULD NOT VECTOR ME, THEN. I THEN ASKED TO FILE AN IFR CLRNC INTO PNE. THE CTLR GRANTED MY REQUEST, WITH THE ADMONISHMENT THAT I SHOULD HAVE FILED BEFORE DEPARTING. WE WERE THEN VECTORED AND LANDED UNEVENTFULLY. THE REASON FOR MY RPT IS TO EXPRESS MY AGREEMENT WITH THE CTLR'S ADVICE ON PREDEP FILING. THAT IS MY NORMAL PROC, BUT, BASED ON THE ATIS AT THE TIME OF DEP, I FELT THAT WE WOULD HAVE ADEQUATE CLOUD CLRNC. ON FUTURE TRAINING FLTS, WITH MARGINAL WX RPTED, I'LL TAKE THE EXTRA TIME TO FILE.

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.