C182 pilot hit trees while conducting a special VFR approach.

Attributes
ACN	408713
Time
Date	199807
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ybl
State Reference	BC
Altitude	msl bound lower : 340 msl bound upper : 800
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Skylane 182/RG Turbo Skylane/RG
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	descent : approach descent other
Route In Use	approach : svfr approach : visual arrival other
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 30 flight time total : 397 flight time type : 60
ASRS Report	408713
Person 2
Affiliation	government other
Function	other personnel other
Qualification	other
Events
Anomaly	conflict : ground critical inflight encounter : vfr in imc inflight encounter : weather non adherence : far other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took evasive action flight crew : regained aircraft control other
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

They should not offer a special VFR with ceiling 500 ft AGL in that airport. On jul/tue/98, at approximately XX45 am, I was approaching ybl and I was handed off to 122.0 campbell river radio. They asked me if I was IFR rated and I told them no, I was not IFR rated. Then they asked if my airplane was IFR equipped. I told them yes it was. They proceeded to tell me that they could give me a special VFR clearance if I could wait for 2 other planes in front of me to land. I waited, circling at 800 ft. They radioed me and told me to come in on runway 29. I proceeded in on a 290 degree heading approximately 1/2 mi from the airport. They said that the airport should be coming up on my left. And at that point, the trees in front came up with the ground elevation. I immediately pulled up to clear the trees, hitting the top of one tree. That immediately put me in to IFR. I radioed 122.0 back and reported what happened, they told me to go back to comox radio where they vectored me back to comox IFR and I landed at yqq.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C182 PLT HIT TREES WHILE CONDUCTING A SPECIAL VFR APCH.

Narrative: THEY SHOULD NOT OFFER A SPECIAL VFR WITH CEILING 500 FT AGL IN THAT ARPT. ON JUL/TUE/98, AT APPROX XX45 AM, I WAS APCHING YBL AND I WAS HANDED OFF TO 122.0 CAMPBELL RIVER RADIO. THEY ASKED ME IF I WAS IFR RATED AND I TOLD THEM NO, I WAS NOT IFR RATED. THEN THEY ASKED IF MY AIRPLANE WAS IFR EQUIPPED. I TOLD THEM YES IT WAS. THEY PROCEEDED TO TELL ME THAT THEY COULD GIVE ME A SPECIAL VFR CLRNC IF I COULD WAIT FOR 2 OTHER PLANES IN FRONT OF ME TO LAND. I WAITED, CIRCLING AT 800 FT. THEY RADIOED ME AND TOLD ME TO COME IN ON RWY 29. I PROCEEDED IN ON A 290 DEG HDG APPROX 1/2 MI FROM THE ARPT. THEY SAID THAT THE ARPT SHOULD BE COMING UP ON MY L. AND AT THAT POINT, THE TREES IN FRONT CAME UP WITH THE GND ELEVATION. I IMMEDIATELY PULLED UP TO CLR THE TREES, HITTING THE TOP OF ONE TREE. THAT IMMEDIATELY PUT ME IN TO IFR. I RADIOED 122.0 BACK AND RPTED WHAT HAPPENED, THEY TOLD ME TO GO BACK TO COMOX RADIO WHERE THEY VECTORED ME BACK TO COMOX IFR AND I LANDED AT YQQ.

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.