 |
37000 Feet | Browse and search NASA's Aviation Safety Reporting System |
|
An small aircraft took from fot, ca, encounters IFR conditions and the pilot has no IFR clearance nor flight plan. Pilot climbs higher, up through the clouds, and states that his estimation of cloud hts is not reliable. Happens in ZSE airspace.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 374910 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199707 |
| Day | Sun |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : fot |
| State Reference | CA |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 300 msl bound upper : 300 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | Mixed |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tower : dfw |
| Operator | general aviation : personal |
| Make Model Name | Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Flight Phase | climbout : takeoff |
| Flight Plan | None |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | Other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : private |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 25 flight time total : 2400 |
| ASRS Report | 374910 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : radar |
| Qualification | controller : radar |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | inflight encounter : weather inflight encounter : vfr in imc non adherence : far |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : became reoriented |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
I planned a takeoff from runway 29 at rohnerville airport into about a 10-15 KT wind down the runway. There was low stratus estimated 800-900 ft looking ahead (west) toward the ocean, and a broken overcast behind me (east) and blue patches farther east, against the mountains. My plan was to takeoff and do a climbing left turn into downwind (heading east) and proceed toward the open area where I could climb VFR above the mountain tops en route to pao. Well, it turned out that the scud under the stratus was changing fast and by the time I reached 300 ft and starting my turn, I was in IMC. I am instrument rated and current and I managed ok. I completed the turn and climbed through the stratus layer in 2-3 mins and was on top in bright sunlight. I think my plan was ok but my cloud estimate was bad and I wasn't prepared for the wave of scud rolling in from the ocean.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: AN SMA TOOK FROM FOT, CA, ENCOUNTERS IFR CONDITIONS AND THE PLT HAS NO IFR CLRNC NOR FLT PLAN. PLT CLBS HIGHER, UP THROUGH THE CLOUDS, AND STATES THAT HIS ESTIMATION OF CLOUD HTS IS NOT RELIABLE. HAPPENS IN ZSE AIRSPACE.
Narrative: I PLANNED A TKOF FROM RWY 29 AT ROHNERVILLE ARPT INTO ABOUT A 10-15 KT WIND DOWN THE RWY. THERE WAS LOW STRATUS ESTIMATED 800-900 FT LOOKING AHEAD (W) TOWARD THE OCEAN, AND A BROKEN OVCST BEHIND ME (E) AND BLUE PATCHES FARTHER E, AGAINST THE MOUNTAINS. MY PLAN WAS TO TKOF AND DO A CLBING L TURN INTO DOWNWIND (HDG E) AND PROCEED TOWARD THE OPEN AREA WHERE I COULD CLB VFR ABOVE THE MOUNTAIN TOPS ENRTE TO PAO. WELL, IT TURNED OUT THAT THE SCUD UNDER THE STRATUS WAS CHANGING FAST AND BY THE TIME I REACHED 300 FT AND STARTING MY TURN, I WAS IN IMC. I AM INST RATED AND CURRENT AND I MANAGED OK. I COMPLETED THE TURN AND CLBED THROUGH THE STRATUS LAYER IN 2-3 MINS AND WAS ON TOP IN BRIGHT SUNLIGHT. I THINK MY PLAN WAS OK BUT MY CLOUD ESTIMATE WAS BAD AND I WASN'T PREPARED FOR THE WAVE OF SCUD ROLLING IN FROM THE OCEAN.
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.