<< >> NASA ASRS Report 316758, September 1995

Pilot of an small aircraft sel on short flight encounters unforecasted WX and turns back and returns to departure airport.

Attributes
ACN	316758
Time
Date	199509
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : n92 airport : nlg
State Reference	DE
Altitude	msl bound lower : 1100 msl bound upper : 1100
Environment
Flight Conditions	Marginal
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise other descent other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	other other : other pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 125 flight time total : 650 flight time type : 400
ASRS Report	316758
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : weather other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : exited adverse environment
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Weather
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

I departed ilg for a flight to N92 summit. When I left ilg the ceiling was 4200 ft overcast, visibility 10 plus NM. Summit is about 10 mi southwest of ilg. As I got closer to N92 a thin scattered layer at 2000 ft AGL got thicker and lower. The forecast was for VFR and summit unicom did not make note of any bad WX when I called them. About 4 or 5 mi out from N92 I saw their beacon on and low clouds over the airport extending to the south. I immediately turned back for ilg. I was able to continue to ilg VFR without incident. While on the flight I never became IMC or violated cloud clearance requirements, and was able to maintain adequate terrain clearance. I am writing because I was amazed how quickly the WX deteriorated. I would not have hesitated to send a student pilot on the same flight with the information I had about the WX. I had had a briefing by duat only mins before the flight. A student pilot in the same situation may have pressed on in the same situation, with disastrous results. I have learned to be very skeptical of the WX information in this area when the conditions are similar to these. Close temperature dewpoint. I think stressing temperature/dewpoint spread in training will help reduce continued VFR into IMC accidents by raising awareness in the student pilot population of this hazard.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF AN SMA SEL ON SHORT FLT ENCOUNTERS UNFORECASTED WX AND TURNS BACK AND RETURNS TO DEP ARPT.

Narrative: I DEPARTED ILG FOR A FLT TO N92 SUMMIT. WHEN I LEFT ILG THE CEILING WAS 4200 FT OVCST, VISIBILITY 10 PLUS NM. SUMMIT IS ABOUT 10 MI SW OF ILG. AS I GOT CLOSER TO N92 A THIN SCATTERED LAYER AT 2000 FT AGL GOT THICKER AND LOWER. THE FORECAST WAS FOR VFR AND SUMMIT UNICOM DID NOT MAKE NOTE OF ANY BAD WX WHEN I CALLED THEM. ABOUT 4 OR 5 MI OUT FROM N92 I SAW THEIR BEACON ON AND LOW CLOUDS OVER THE ARPT EXTENDING TO THE S. I IMMEDIATELY TURNED BACK FOR ILG. I WAS ABLE TO CONTINUE TO ILG VFR WITHOUT INCIDENT. WHILE ON THE FLT I NEVER BECAME IMC OR VIOLATED CLOUD CLRNC REQUIREMENTS, AND WAS ABLE TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE TERRAIN CLRNC. I AM WRITING BECAUSE I WAS AMAZED HOW QUICKLY THE WX DETERIORATED. I WOULD NOT HAVE HESITATED TO SEND A STUDENT PLT ON THE SAME FLT WITH THE INFO I HAD ABOUT THE WX. I HAD HAD A BRIEFING BY DUAT ONLY MINS BEFORE THE FLT. A STUDENT PLT IN THE SAME SIT MAY HAVE PRESSED ON IN THE SAME SIT, WITH DISASTROUS RESULTS. I HAVE LEARNED TO BE VERY SKEPTICAL OF THE WX INFO IN THIS AREA WHEN THE CONDITIONS ARE SIMILAR TO THESE. CLOSE TEMP DEWPOINT. I THINK STRESSING TEMP/DEWPOINT SPREAD IN TRAINING WILL HELP REDUCE CONTINUED VFR INTO IMC ACCIDENTS BY RAISING AWARENESS IN THE STUDENT PLT POPULATION OF THIS HAZARD.

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.