Pilot of a jump type aircraft bemoans the fact that he tried to operate the aircraft in marginal WX. In doing so he flew into a cloud while trying to observe some conflicting traffic.

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Attributes
ACN	402676
Time
Date	199805
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : 7d8
State Reference	OH
Altitude	msl bound lower : 12500 msl bound upper : 12500
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zob
Operator	other
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude cruise other
Flight Plan	None
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	other : unknown
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : cfi pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 50 flight time total : 2200 flight time type : 5
ASRS Report	402676
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : vfr in imc inflight encounter : weather non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	vertical : 500
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Due to pressure from drop zone owner and my inexperience at flying in this situation I took up a load in WX that I should have known better. As I approached 12000 ft MSL in climb I was advised by ZOB of 2 IFR targets at 13000 ft and 15000 ft. Controller held my climb to 12500 ft. The low visibility and a big unfamiliar airplane that I was flying that has a smaller windshield to see through, I never saw the 13000 ft traffic that was supposed to have flown over me. I then proceeded into a cloud that I did not see in time to avoid. After clearing cloud and giving a 1 min warning I let my jumpers out. Rest of flight proceeded uneventfully. After landing I refused to fly anymore until about 3 hours later when WX started to clear up. Obviously several mistakes on my part including taking off in the first place. I will have to become more forceful in my refusal to fly in marginal or possibly IFR WX. Nothing is worth the lives of others or myself.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF A JUMP TYPE ACFT BEMOANS THE FACT THAT HE TRIED TO OPERATE THE ACFT IN MARGINAL WX. IN DOING SO HE FLEW INTO A CLOUD WHILE TRYING TO OBSERVE SOME CONFLICTING TFC.

Narrative: DUE TO PRESSURE FROM DROP ZONE OWNER AND MY INEXPERIENCE AT FLYING IN THIS SIT I TOOK UP A LOAD IN WX THAT I SHOULD HAVE KNOWN BETTER. AS I APCHED 12000 FT MSL IN CLB I WAS ADVISED BY ZOB OF 2 IFR TARGETS AT 13000 FT AND 15000 FT. CTLR HELD MY CLB TO 12500 FT. THE LOW VISIBILITY AND A BIG UNFAMILIAR AIRPLANE THAT I WAS FLYING THAT HAS A SMALLER WINDSHIELD TO SEE THROUGH, I NEVER SAW THE 13000 FT TFC THAT WAS SUPPOSED TO HAVE FLOWN OVER ME. I THEN PROCEEDED INTO A CLOUD THAT I DID NOT SEE IN TIME TO AVOID. AFTER CLRING CLOUD AND GIVING A 1 MIN WARNING I LET MY JUMPERS OUT. REST OF FLT PROCEEDED UNEVENTFULLY. AFTER LNDG I REFUSED TO FLY ANYMORE UNTIL ABOUT 3 HRS LATER WHEN WX STARTED TO CLR UP. OBVIOUSLY SEVERAL MISTAKES ON MY PART INCLUDING TAKING OFF IN THE FIRST PLACE. I WILL HAVE TO BECOME MORE FORCEFUL IN MY REFUSAL TO FLY IN MARGINAL OR POSSIBLY IFR WX. NOTHING IS WORTH THE LIVES OF OTHERS OR MYSELF.

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.