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Pilot of a stearman on initial climb encounters downdrafts and is unable to maintain altitude. He returns to airport of departure.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 413120 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199808 |
| Day | Sat |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : l35 |
| State Reference | CA |
| Altitude | agl bound lower : 100 agl bound upper : 150 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tower : l35 |
| Operator | general aviation : personal |
| Make Model Name | Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Flight Phase | climbout : intermediate altitude |
| Flight Plan | VFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | Other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : cfi pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 25 flight time total : 3500 flight time type : 325 |
| ASRS Report | 413120 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : local |
| Qualification | controller : non radar |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | inflight encounter : weather |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | other |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Weather |
| Air Traffic Incident | other |
Narrative:
While climbing out after an eastbound takeoff from big bear city airport, I was on a right crosswind at approximately 7700 ft heading into rising terrain, when I noticed I was losing altitude. I began easing the stick back and saw my airspeed decrease from 70 mph to 55 mph -- just 5 mph over power on stall. With altitude still decreasing, I lowered the nose slightly to target 60 mph for best recovery. I declared an emergency with the temporary tower and began a shallow turn back towards the airport and to lower terrain. I finally arrested my altitude loss and proceeded to enter a left base, opposite to the flow of traffic. I estimate my altitude at the bottom of the recovery was approximately 100-150 ft above the tree tops. Total altitude loss was approximately 500-600 ft. There was convective activity about 10 mi south of the airport, wind shear or downdrafts associated with this cell is the most likely cause. Aircraft performance at higher elevations also contributed to my inability to quickly recover. Later PIREPS indicated sinks in that general local area as well as moderate turbulence.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: PLT OF A STEARMAN ON INITIAL CLB ENCOUNTERS DOWNDRAFTS AND IS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN ALT. HE RETURNS TO ARPT OF DEP.
Narrative: WHILE CLBING OUT AFTER AN EBOUND TKOF FROM BIG BEAR CITY ARPT, I WAS ON A R XWIND AT APPROX 7700 FT HDG INTO RISING TERRAIN, WHEN I NOTICED I WAS LOSING ALT. I BEGAN EASING THE STICK BACK AND SAW MY AIRSPD DECREASE FROM 70 MPH TO 55 MPH -- JUST 5 MPH OVER PWR ON STALL. WITH ALT STILL DECREASING, I LOWERED THE NOSE SLIGHTLY TO TARGET 60 MPH FOR BEST RECOVERY. I DECLARED AN EMER WITH THE TEMPORARY TWR AND BEGAN A SHALLOW TURN BACK TOWARDS THE ARPT AND TO LOWER TERRAIN. I FINALLY ARRESTED MY ALT LOSS AND PROCEEDED TO ENTER A L BASE, OPPOSITE TO THE FLOW OF TFC. I ESTIMATE MY ALT AT THE BOTTOM OF THE RECOVERY WAS APPROX 100-150 FT ABOVE THE TREE TOPS. TOTAL ALT LOSS WAS APPROX 500-600 FT. THERE WAS CONVECTIVE ACTIVITY ABOUT 10 MI S OF THE ARPT, WIND SHEAR OR DOWNDRAFTS ASSOCIATED WITH THIS CELL IS THE MOST LIKELY CAUSE. ACFT PERFORMANCE AT HIGHER ELEVATIONS ALSO CONTRIBUTED TO MY INABILITY TO QUICKLY RECOVER. LATER PIREPS INDICATED SINKS IN THAT GENERAL LCL AREA AS WELL AS MODERATE TURB.
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.