Narrative:

I took off from west hampton airport on jul/sun/95 at about XA40 for a routine banner tow flight. The route of flight was taking me from west hampton airport to cape tree beach and then eastbound to east hampton. I obtained WX information from the following sources: duat, FSS and en route ATIS's. The WX forecast for the area (isp jfk) was: XC00Z-XG00Z 25 scattered showers 1407 and XG00Z-XL00Z C30 broken 1810 chc C10 overcast 2RW/thunderstorm. At XF00Z isp ATIS reported a sct 12 broken 4H and frg ATIS reported 12 broken 4H. The flight wbound to cape tree beach was uneventful. I was flying at 500 ft with slight variations in visibility (3-1.5 mi). After reaching cape tree I executed 2 passes by the beach and headed back east. Leaving cape tree I had visibility 2-3 mi. About 6 mi later I started encountering reduced visibilities. Based on the information I had, I have decided to proceed and see if conditions will improve. In the next 2 mi visibility decreased rapidly to about 1 mi. At this point I have made a decision to turn back wbound, hoping for better visibility, but instead I realized that it became worse, and I had to descend to 350 ft to maintain VFR. At the same time I spotted a suitable landing site in the event I could not continue the flight. Flying wbound did not get any relief to the situation and I decided to make a precautionary landing. I flew a low pass to ensure that there are no people around the intended landing site then I turned for the final approach, dropped the banner clear of persons and property and made a successful landing. There were no injuries and no damage was inflicted. The landing site was a beach strip about 1 1/2 mi long and about 150 ft wide. All this area was clear of persons and property. The quick deterioration of visibility was a contributing factor. Human performance consideration: based on the fact that about 15 mins earlier I was flying the same area in the opposite direction, I had good reasons to believe that it will be possible to return without difficulties. When that did not happen, I decided to make a 180 degree turn and return to where the visibility was better. Being unable to maintain VFR while my aircraft was not IFR certified and while I myself was not IFR current. Also, there was not enough time to file and remain legal, I decided to execute the precautionary landing. I would like to classify my human performance as being calm, taking charge of the circumstances, and applying safety precautions.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: IMC IN VFR FLT -- OFF ARPT LNDG -- A BANNER TOW PLT BECOMES DISORIENTATED IN FOG AND DECIDES TO MAKE A PRECAUTIONARY LNDG ON A DESERTED BEACH.

Narrative: I TOOK OFF FROM W HAMPTON ARPT ON JUL/SUN/95 AT ABOUT XA40 FOR A ROUTINE BANNER TOW FLT. THE RTE OF FLT WAS TAKING ME FROM W HAMPTON ARPT TO CAPE TREE BEACH AND THEN EBOUND TO E HAMPTON. I OBTAINED WX INFO FROM THE FOLLOWING SOURCES: DUAT, FSS AND ENRTE ATIS'S. THE WX FORECAST FOR THE AREA (ISP JFK) WAS: XC00Z-XG00Z 25 SCATTERED SHOWERS 1407 AND XG00Z-XL00Z C30 BROKEN 1810 CHC C10 OVCST 2RW/TSTM. AT XF00Z ISP ATIS RPTED A SCT 12 BKN 4H AND FRG ATIS RPTED 12 BKN 4H. THE FLT WBOUND TO CAPE TREE BEACH WAS UNEVENTFUL. I WAS FLYING AT 500 FT WITH SLIGHT VARIATIONS IN VISIBILITY (3-1.5 MI). AFTER REACHING CAPE TREE I EXECUTED 2 PASSES BY THE BEACH AND HEADED BACK E. LEAVING CAPE TREE I HAD VISIBILITY 2-3 MI. ABOUT 6 MI LATER I STARTED ENCOUNTERING REDUCED VISIBILITIES. BASED ON THE INFO I HAD, I HAVE DECIDED TO PROCEED AND SEE IF CONDITIONS WILL IMPROVE. IN THE NEXT 2 MI VISIBILITY DECREASED RAPIDLY TO ABOUT 1 MI. AT THIS POINT I HAVE MADE A DECISION TO TURN BACK WBOUND, HOPING FOR BETTER VISIBILITY, BUT INSTEAD I REALIZED THAT IT BECAME WORSE, AND I HAD TO DSND TO 350 FT TO MAINTAIN VFR. AT THE SAME TIME I SPOTTED A SUITABLE LNDG SITE IN THE EVENT I COULD NOT CONTINUE THE FLT. FLYING WBOUND DID NOT GET ANY RELIEF TO THE SIT AND I DECIDED TO MAKE A PRECAUTIONARY LNDG. I FLEW A LOW PASS TO ENSURE THAT THERE ARE NO PEOPLE AROUND THE INTENDED LNDG SITE THEN I TURNED FOR THE FINAL APCH, DROPPED THE BANNER CLR OF PERSONS AND PROPERTY AND MADE A SUCCESSFUL LNDG. THERE WERE NO INJURIES AND NO DAMAGE WAS INFLICTED. THE LNDG SITE WAS A BEACH STRIP ABOUT 1 1/2 MI LONG AND ABOUT 150 FT WIDE. ALL THIS AREA WAS CLR OF PERSONS AND PROPERTY. THE QUICK DETERIORATION OF VISIBILITY WAS A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR. HUMAN PERFORMANCE CONSIDERATION: BASED ON THE FACT THAT ABOUT 15 MINS EARLIER I WAS FLYING THE SAME AREA IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION, I HAD GOOD REASONS TO BELIEVE THAT IT WILL BE POSSIBLE TO RETURN WITHOUT DIFFICULTIES. WHEN THAT DID NOT HAPPEN, I DECIDED TO MAKE A 180 DEG TURN AND RETURN TO WHERE THE VISIBILITY WAS BETTER. BEING UNABLE TO MAINTAIN VFR WHILE MY ACFT WAS NOT IFR CERTIFIED AND WHILE I MYSELF WAS NOT IFR CURRENT. ALSO, THERE WAS NOT ENOUGH TIME TO FILE AND REMAIN LEGAL, I DECIDED TO EXECUTE THE PRECAUTIONARY LNDG. I WOULD LIKE TO CLASSIFY MY HUMAN PERFORMANCE AS BEING CALM, TAKING CHARGE OF THE CIRCUMSTANCES, AND APPLYING SAFETY PRECAUTIONS.

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.