Pilot of an small aircraft departing on SVFR clearance is unable to maintain VFR as cleared. In the ...

Attributes
ACN	418439
Time
Date	199810
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : pae
State Reference	WA
Environment
Flight Conditions	Marginal
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Flight Phase	climbout : initial other
Route In Use	approach : svfr
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 130 flight time total : 2500 flight time type : 200
ASRS Report	418439
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : weather inflight encounter : vfr in imc non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

After departing from pae field under an SVFR clearance, I was unable to maintain VFR conditions. In my clearance I was requested to expedite my departure and call clear of the control zone. Once I determined I was unable to remain VFR, I quickly called ZSE and requested an IFR clearance back into pae. During all this excitement and quick exchange I forgot to report clear, tying up the airspace and caused the controllers concern over my position. My decision to depart under SVFR came after listening to the current ATIS which was reporting 600 ft overcast and 7 mi visibility. I called harvey field (S43) and confirmed the WX was good at harvey. I spoke with a pilot who said it was. I assumed that because harvey, which is 600 ft lower in elevation, would have a 1200 ft ceiling. I believe that the major contributing factor in my lack of judgement was my strong feeling of having to return the airplane back to its home airport, rather than return for it later, as well as letting the pressure of my passenger influence my decision. In the future, I will take a closer look at the big picture and make sure if I were to accept an SVFR that the WX is higher than what I safely need. I will also be more careful to make the proper radio calls even in a stressful flight condition.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF AN SMA DEPARTING ON SVFR CLRNC IS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN VFR AS CLRED. IN THE PROCESS OF GETTING IFR CLRNC HE NEGLECTS TO RPT CLR OF THE CTL ZONE CLASS D.

Narrative: AFTER DEPARTING FROM PAE FIELD UNDER AN SVFR CLRNC, I WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN VFR CONDITIONS. IN MY CLRNC I WAS REQUESTED TO EXPEDITE MY DEP AND CALL CLR OF THE CTL ZONE. ONCE I DETERMINED I WAS UNABLE TO REMAIN VFR, I QUICKLY CALLED ZSE AND REQUESTED AN IFR CLRNC BACK INTO PAE. DURING ALL THIS EXCITEMENT AND QUICK EXCHANGE I FORGOT TO RPT CLR, TYING UP THE AIRSPACE AND CAUSED THE CTLRS CONCERN OVER MY POS. MY DECISION TO DEPART UNDER SVFR CAME AFTER LISTENING TO THE CURRENT ATIS WHICH WAS RPTING 600 FT OVCST AND 7 MI VISIBILITY. I CALLED HARVEY FIELD (S43) AND CONFIRMED THE WX WAS GOOD AT HARVEY. I SPOKE WITH A PLT WHO SAID IT WAS. I ASSUMED THAT BECAUSE HARVEY, WHICH IS 600 FT LOWER IN ELEVATION, WOULD HAVE A 1200 FT CEILING. I BELIEVE THAT THE MAJOR CONTRIBUTING FACTOR IN MY LACK OF JUDGEMENT WAS MY STRONG FEELING OF HAVING TO RETURN THE AIRPLANE BACK TO ITS HOME ARPT, RATHER THAN RETURN FOR IT LATER, AS WELL AS LETTING THE PRESSURE OF MY PAX INFLUENCE MY DECISION. IN THE FUTURE, I WILL TAKE A CLOSER LOOK AT THE BIG PICTURE AND MAKE SURE IF I WERE TO ACCEPT AN SVFR THAT THE WX IS HIGHER THAN WHAT I SAFELY NEED. I WILL ALSO BE MORE CAREFUL TO MAKE THE PROPER RADIO CALLS EVEN IN A STRESSFUL FLT CONDITION.

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.

Pilot of an small aircraft departing on SVFR clearance is unable to maintain VFR as cleared. In the process of getting IFR clearance he neglects to report clear of the control zone class D.