Pilot of an small aircraft pipeline patrol helicopter operated in class east airspace when the WX wa...

Attributes
ACN	334336
Time
Date	199604
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : gpz
State Reference	MN
Altitude	agl bound lower : 300 agl bound upper : 300
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : phx
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Helicopter
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 8800
ASRS Report	334336
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	other personnel other
Qualification	other other : other
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : weather other anomaly other other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Weather
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I departed superior, wi, at XA25 local am for a pipeline patrol. All my WX reporting points were good, in fact must were clear with unrestr visibility. The pipeline I follow is about 3 mi north of the grand rapids, mn, so I was transitioning from east to west low level at 300 ft AGL. I heard another aircraft call south of grand rapids and he would be making a low approach from south to north continuing north. I have 2 communication radios and I had 1 on 122.8 and the other on 122.05 princeton FSS. When I was clear to the west I heard the aircraft on 122.05 declare he was clear north canceling SVFR. I then knew that maybe grand rapids, mn, was IFR. I listened to AWOS at grand rapids over the VOR and it was 800 broken and 10. There was smoke coming from local company, blowing over the airport and to me it was only a scattered layer. The visibility to me was 15 mi plus. The fixed wing that cleared north told FSS that it was a scattered layer. I guess I felt that it really wasn't IFR and if the scattered was broken the great visibility led me to feel it was VFR.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF AN SMA PIPELINE PATROL HELI OPERATED IN CLASS E AIRSPACE WHEN THE WX WAS RPTED AS BELOW VFR CONDITIONS.

Narrative: I DEPARTED SUPERIOR, WI, AT XA25 LCL AM FOR A PIPELINE PATROL. ALL MY WX RPTING POINTS WERE GOOD, IN FACT MUST WERE CLR WITH UNRESTR VISIBILITY. THE PIPELINE I FOLLOW IS ABOUT 3 MI N OF THE GRAND RAPIDS, MN, SO I WAS TRANSITIONING FROM E TO W LOW LEVEL AT 300 FT AGL. I HEARD ANOTHER ACFT CALL S OF GRAND RAPIDS AND HE WOULD BE MAKING A LOW APCH FROM S TO N CONTINUING N. I HAVE 2 COM RADIOS AND I HAD 1 ON 122.8 AND THE OTHER ON 122.05 PRINCETON FSS. WHEN I WAS CLR TO THE W I HEARD THE ACFT ON 122.05 DECLARE HE WAS CLR N CANCELING SVFR. I THEN KNEW THAT MAYBE GRAND RAPIDS, MN, WAS IFR. I LISTENED TO AWOS AT GRAND RAPIDS OVER THE VOR AND IT WAS 800 BROKEN AND 10. THERE WAS SMOKE COMING FROM LCL COMPANY, BLOWING OVER THE ARPT AND TO ME IT WAS ONLY A SCATTERED LAYER. THE VISIBILITY TO ME WAS 15 MI PLUS. THE FIXED WING THAT CLRED N TOLD FSS THAT IT WAS A SCATTERED LAYER. I GUESS I FELT THAT IT REALLY WASN'T IFR AND IF THE SCATTERED WAS BROKEN THE GREAT VISIBILITY LED ME TO FEEL IT WAS VFR.

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.

Pilot of an small aircraft pipeline patrol helicopter operated in class east airspace when the WX was reported as below VFR conditions.