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A private small aircraft pilot departs sat in marginal VFR WX and flies over an inhabited area at 500 ft AGL. Pilot may also have experienced IMC in VFR flight in climbing up through the 'VFR hole' later.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 424347 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199812 |
| Day | Thu |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : sat |
| State Reference | TX |
| Altitude | agl bound lower : 500 agl bound upper : 500 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | Marginal |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Operator | general aviation : personal |
| Make Model Name | Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer |
| Flight Phase | cruise other cruise other |
| Flight Plan | VFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | Other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 38 flight time total : 190 flight time type : 90 |
| ASRS Report | 424347 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : departure |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | inflight encounter : vfr in imc other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : anomaly accepted |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
I departed sat with predicted 1200 ft ceilings. A few mi north of sat I went under a cloud deck estimated at 700-800 ft AGL and continued to proceed north. The ceiling gradually deteriorated to where I should have reversed course. Within a few mi I found a hole in the cloud deck and climbed to VFR on top just north of the sat class C airspace. I may have violated minimum altitude above some houses along the route. I should have reversed course immediately after going under the cloud deck. Contributing factor was failing to recognize that rising terrain north of sat would reduce ceiling ht. I discussed the WX with FSS at about AB30 and should have phoned for an update just prior to my AD00 am departure to see if conditions along my route had improved as expected.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: A PVT SMA PLT DEPARTS SAT IN MARGINAL VFR WX AND FLIES OVER AN INHABITED AREA AT 500 FT AGL. PLT MAY ALSO HAVE EXPERIENCED IMC IN VFR FLT IN CLBING UP THROUGH THE 'VFR HOLE' LATER.
Narrative: I DEPARTED SAT WITH PREDICTED 1200 FT CEILINGS. A FEW MI N OF SAT I WENT UNDER A CLOUD DECK ESTIMATED AT 700-800 FT AGL AND CONTINUED TO PROCEED N. THE CEILING GRADUALLY DETERIORATED TO WHERE I SHOULD HAVE REVERSED COURSE. WITHIN A FEW MI I FOUND A HOLE IN THE CLOUD DECK AND CLBED TO VFR ON TOP JUST N OF THE SAT CLASS C AIRSPACE. I MAY HAVE VIOLATED MINIMUM ALT ABOVE SOME HOUSES ALONG THE RTE. I SHOULD HAVE REVERSED COURSE IMMEDIATELY AFTER GOING UNDER THE CLOUD DECK. CONTRIBUTING FACTOR WAS FAILING TO RECOGNIZE THAT RISING TERRAIN N OF SAT WOULD REDUCE CEILING HT. I DISCUSSED THE WX WITH FSS AT ABOUT AB30 AND SHOULD HAVE PHONED FOR AN UPDATE JUST PRIOR TO MY AD00 AM DEP TO SEE IF CONDITIONS ALONG MY RTE HAD IMPROVED AS EXPECTED.
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.