Instructor pilot report of student pilot going IMC in VFR flight during solo cross country flight. D...

Attributes
ACN	353952
Time
Date	199611
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : atl airport : 4a0 airport : d73
State Reference	GA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 800 agl bound upper : 2100
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : atl
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	climbout : initial other other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	observation : observer other personnel other
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : commercial
ASRS Report	353952
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot instruction : trainee
Qualification	pilot : student
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 16 flight time total : 44 flight time type : 42
ASRS Report	354350
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : weather inflight encounter : vfr in imc non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : provided flight assist controller : issued new clearance flight crew : exited adverse environment other
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Weather
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

A student pilot of mine planned a cross country solo flight at approximately AB00 am. We both checked with macon FSS and received a standard briefing. I checked his cross country planning and found his planning and the actual WX and forecast for his flight time all to be ok for the flight. I was attending a flight instructor re-evaluate clinic and was not present when he departed. He encountered an unforecast and unexpected cloud cover at approximately 800 ft AGL and went into IMC. He contacted atl approach after getting on top at 2100 ft MSL, on 121.5 and they vectored him to monroe airport which was VFR. Atl approach, mcn FSS, and of course both of us were surprised at the low cloud cover that was completely unexpected. The lowest clouds forecast were for 3000 ft early and improving after sunrise. Supplemental information from acn 354350: at approximately 800 ft AGL on takeoff, I entered into a cloud. I attempted to reverse my position to exit the cloud but was unable to. I quickly proceeded to climb in an effort to go above the ceiling. While climbing to go above the clouds I tuned into 121.5 and announced that I was a student pilot departing 4a0 and had gotten into cloud cover. I was directed to change frequency. Once I changed frequency I was vectored to monroe (D73) and instructed to contact the FAA once on the ground. Once on the ground, I contacted the FAA to let them know I reached my alternate destination. Additionally I contacted the anderson FSS and gave them a pilot briefing.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: INSTRUCTOR PLT RPT OF STUDENT PLT GOING IMC IN VFR FLT DURING SOLO XCOUNTRY FLT. DIVERSION TO ALTERNATE.

Narrative: A STUDENT PLT OF MINE PLANNED A XCOUNTRY SOLO FLT AT APPROX AB00 AM. WE BOTH CHKED WITH MACON FSS AND RECEIVED A STANDARD BRIEFING. I CHKED HIS XCOUNTRY PLANNING AND FOUND HIS PLANNING AND THE ACTUAL WX AND FORECAST FOR HIS FLT TIME ALL TO BE OK FOR THE FLT. I WAS ATTENDING A FLT INSTRUCTOR RE-EVAL CLINIC AND WAS NOT PRESENT WHEN HE DEPARTED. HE ENCOUNTERED AN UNFORECAST AND UNEXPECTED CLOUD COVER AT APPROX 800 FT AGL AND WENT INTO IMC. HE CONTACTED ATL APCH AFTER GETTING ON TOP AT 2100 FT MSL, ON 121.5 AND THEY VECTORED HIM TO MONROE ARPT WHICH WAS VFR. ATL APCH, MCN FSS, AND OF COURSE BOTH OF US WERE SURPRISED AT THE LOW CLOUD COVER THAT WAS COMPLETELY UNEXPECTED. THE LOWEST CLOUDS FORECAST WERE FOR 3000 FT EARLY AND IMPROVING AFTER SUNRISE. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 354350: AT APPROX 800 FT AGL ON TKOF, I ENTERED INTO A CLOUD. I ATTEMPTED TO REVERSE MY POS TO EXIT THE CLOUD BUT WAS UNABLE TO. I QUICKLY PROCEEDED TO CLB IN AN EFFORT TO GO ABOVE THE CEILING. WHILE CLBING TO GO ABOVE THE CLOUDS I TUNED INTO 121.5 AND ANNOUNCED THAT I WAS A STUDENT PLT DEPARTING 4A0 AND HAD GOTTEN INTO CLOUD COVER. I WAS DIRECTED TO CHANGE FREQ. ONCE I CHANGED FREQ I WAS VECTORED TO MONROE (D73) AND INSTRUCTED TO CONTACT THE FAA ONCE ON THE GND. ONCE ON THE GND, I CONTACTED THE FAA TO LET THEM KNOW I REACHED MY ALTERNATE DEST. ADDITIONALLY I CONTACTED THE ANDERSON FSS AND GAVE THEM A PLT BRIEFING.

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.

Instructor pilot report of student pilot going IMC in VFR flight during solo cross country flight. Diversion to alternate.