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Pilot of a BE33C encounters deteriorating WX and sights an air carrier below him. He descends into clear WX then flies IFR flight plan.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 411320 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199808 |
| Day | Fri |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : teb |
| State Reference | NJ |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 6500 msl bound upper : 6500 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | Mixed |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : n90 |
| Operator | general aviation : personal |
| Make Model Name | Bonanza 33 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Flight Phase | cruise other |
| Flight Plan | VFR |
| Aircraft 2 | |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | Commercial Fixed Wing |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | Other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : instrument pilot : commercial |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 86 flight time total : 1200 flight time type : 700 |
| ASRS Report | 411320 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | conflict : airborne less severe inflight encounter : weather |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : exited adverse environment other |
| Consequence | Other |
| Miss Distance | horizontal : 1000 vertical : 1000 |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Weather |
| Air Traffic Incident | other |
Narrative:
I was on a VFR flight between 2 broken/overcast layers at 6500 ft. The in-flight visibility and cloud clrncs degraded to the point I wasn't sure if I still met the 3 mi 500/1000/2000 VFR visibility and cloud clrncs. I was receiving TA's from approach control. At one point, a commercial jet passed about 1000 ft below and 1000 ft behind us. (Approach did not call out the traffic.) I diverted to a clrer area to the north and descended VFR below the broken layer. I picked up an IFR clearance and continued to the destination. I made the wrong decision in continuing into marginal conditions in the expectation that the cloud situation would improve based on the briefing forecast and ATIS reports ahead of me. I could just as easily have picked up an IFR clearance earlier, when it was apparent the WX was becoming marginal. I remained clear of clouds, but do not know if I maintained VFR visibility and cloud clrncs. If the jet passing below had been at my level, I do not think there would have been sufficient time for evasive action. There is no reason to push these limits, and I will be more conservative in the future.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: PLT OF A BE33C ENCOUNTERS DETERIORATING WX AND SIGHTS AN ACR BELOW HIM. HE DSNDS INTO CLR WX THEN FLIES IFR FLT PLAN.
Narrative: I WAS ON A VFR FLT BTWN 2 BROKEN/OVCST LAYERS AT 6500 FT. THE INFLT VISIBILITY AND CLOUD CLRNCS DEGRADED TO THE POINT I WASN'T SURE IF I STILL MET THE 3 MI 500/1000/2000 VFR VISIBILITY AND CLOUD CLRNCS. I WAS RECEIVING TA'S FROM APCH CTL. AT ONE POINT, A COMMERCIAL JET PASSED ABOUT 1000 FT BELOW AND 1000 FT BEHIND US. (APCH DID NOT CALL OUT THE TFC.) I DIVERTED TO A CLRER AREA TO THE N AND DSNDED VFR BELOW THE BROKEN LAYER. I PICKED UP AN IFR CLRNC AND CONTINUED TO THE DEST. I MADE THE WRONG DECISION IN CONTINUING INTO MARGINAL CONDITIONS IN THE EXPECTATION THAT THE CLOUD SIT WOULD IMPROVE BASED ON THE BRIEFING FORECAST AND ATIS RPTS AHEAD OF ME. I COULD JUST AS EASILY HAVE PICKED UP AN IFR CLRNC EARLIER, WHEN IT WAS APPARENT THE WX WAS BECOMING MARGINAL. I REMAINED CLR OF CLOUDS, BUT DO NOT KNOW IF I MAINTAINED VFR VISIBILITY AND CLOUD CLRNCS. IF THE JET PASSING BELOW HAD BEEN AT MY LEVEL, I DO NOT THINK THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN SUFFICIENT TIME FOR EVASIVE ACTION. THERE IS NO REASON TO PUSH THESE LIMITS, AND I WILL BE MORE CONSERVATIVE IN THE FUTURE.
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.