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Pilot of C172 departs VFR to pick up IFR clearance. Enters IMC without clearance. He has heading indicator which precesses and is off course turning toward an MD80 on approach.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 384141 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199710 |
| Day | Fri |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : 1h0 |
| State Reference | MO |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 1400 msl bound upper : 2500 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | IMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : stl tower : den |
| Operator | general aviation : personal |
| Make Model Name | Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Flight Phase | climbout : initial |
| Route In Use | enroute : on vectors |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Aircraft 2 | |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | MD-80 Series (DC-9-80) Undifferentiated or Other Model |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Navigation In Use | Other Other |
| Flight Phase | descent : approach descent other |
| Route In Use | enroute : on vectors |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | Other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : instrument pilot : private |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 33 flight time total : 700 flight time type : 21 |
| ASRS Report | 384141 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | conflict : airborne less severe inflight encounter : vfr in imc non adherence : far |
| Independent Detector | other controllera |
| Resolutory Action | controller : issued new clearance none taken : detected after the fact other |
| Consequence | faa : reviewed incident with flight crew |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
Had a trip planned to dayton, oh, for about a year. On oct/xx/97, got to the airport, ceiling and visibility were low. Check WX, 1000 ft and 2 mi visibility. Planned the trip, and filed IFR flight plan. Takeoff from creve coure airport 1HO turned north and called departure control for my clearance. The controller was very busy and told me to maintain VFR remain clear of class B and standby. As I was climbing out it seemed the ceiling dropped very fast and all of a sudden I was surrounded in clouds without my clearance. I attempted to maintain VFR but it was not possible. Controller gave me a traffic alert at 12 O'clock position. I had to tell him I was IMC. After 1 or 2 mins he gave me my direct to huf airport, climb and maintain 2500 ft turn right 080 degrees. Not knowing that the heading indicator was precessing badly, somehow turned to a heading of 175 degrees. Controller gave me several left turns to north. The reason for this I found out later that I had turned toward or in front of an MD80 carrier. I do not know if there was airspace violations or not. Lessons learned: always get your IFR clearance on the ground. Don't think you can always maintain VFR. Setting heading on runway doesn't mean it will be okay at 1000 ft.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: PLT OF C172 DEPARTS VFR TO PICK UP IFR CLRNC. ENTERS IMC WITHOUT CLRNC. HE HAS HEADING INDICATOR WHICH PRECESSES AND IS OFF COURSE TURNING TOWARD AN MD80 ON APCH.
Narrative: HAD A TRIP PLANNED TO DAYTON, OH, FOR ABOUT A YEAR. ON OCT/XX/97, GOT TO THE ARPT, CEILING AND VISIBILITY WERE LOW. CHK WX, 1000 FT AND 2 MI VISIBILITY. PLANNED THE TRIP, AND FILED IFR FLT PLAN. TKOF FROM CREVE COURE ARPT 1HO TURNED N AND CALLED DEP CTL FOR MY CLRNC. THE CTLR WAS VERY BUSY AND TOLD ME TO MAINTAIN VFR REMAIN CLR OF CLASS B AND STANDBY. AS I WAS CLBING OUT IT SEEMED THE CEILING DROPPED VERY FAST AND ALL OF A SUDDEN I WAS SURROUNDED IN CLOUDS WITHOUT MY CLRNC. I ATTEMPTED TO MAINTAIN VFR BUT IT WAS NOT POSSIBLE. CTLR GAVE ME A TFC ALERT AT 12 O'CLOCK POS. I HAD TO TELL HIM I WAS IMC. AFTER 1 OR 2 MINS HE GAVE ME MY DIRECT TO HUF ARPT, CLB AND MAINTAIN 2500 FT TURN R 080 DEGS. NOT KNOWING THAT THE HEADING INDICATOR WAS PRECESSING BADLY, SOMEHOW TURNED TO A HDG OF 175 DEGS. CTLR GAVE ME SEVERAL L TURNS TO N. THE REASON FOR THIS I FOUND OUT LATER THAT I HAD TURNED TOWARD OR IN FRONT OF AN MD80 CARRIER. I DO NOT KNOW IF THERE WAS AIRSPACE VIOLATIONS OR NOT. LESSONS LEARNED: ALWAYS GET YOUR IFR CLRNC ON THE GND. DON'T THINK YOU CAN ALWAYS MAINTAIN VFR. SETTING HEADING ON RWY DOESN'T MEAN IT WILL BE OKAY AT 1000 FT.
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.