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New pilot, acting as safety pilot for other pilot (presumably instrument qualified) flying under the hood, allows the flight to enter a cloud. The safety pilot suggests descending, twice, totaling an altitude loss of 4000 ft, but to no avail.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 439803 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199906 |
| Day | Sat |
| Local Time Of Day | 1801 To 2400 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | navaid : ict.vortac |
| State Reference | KS |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 5500 msl bound upper : 9500 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | Mixed |
| Light | Night |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zkc.artcc |
| Operator | general aviation : personal |
| Make Model Name | Small Aircraft |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Flight Phase | cruise : enroute altitude change |
| Flight Plan | VFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | other |
| Function | observation : observer other personnel other |
| Qualification | pilot : private |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 60 flight time total : 190 flight time type : 32 |
| ASRS Report | 439803 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : private pilot : instrument |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | inflight encounter : vfr in imc non adherence : far |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : exited adverse environment none taken : anomaly accepted |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
I was flying as a safety pilot and acting PIC of the flight, from ama to ict. We were in VFR conditions at night when we encountered clouds. I had called FSS at ama, before departing, for a standard WX briefing. The proposed route was reported to be VFR. When we entered the clouds, I asked the pilot (who was wearing foggles) to descend from 9500 ft to 7500 ft MSL and informed ZKC of the situation. At 7500 ft MSL we were still in the clouds. I asked the pilot to descend further to 5500 ft. We remained at 5500 ft MSL for the duration of the flight, and popped out of the clouds approximately 10 mins after we entered them. We were able to maintain VFR for the remainder of the flight. What I should have done was asked the pilot to turn around (180 degree turn) as soon as we entered the clouds, and find a different route that would have allowed us to remain VFR.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: NEW PLT, ACTING AS SAFETY PLT FOR OTHER PLT (PRESUMABLY INST QUALIFIED) FLYING UNDER THE HOOD, ALLOWS THE FLT TO ENTER A CLOUD. THE SAFETY PLT SUGGESTS DSNDING, TWICE, TOTALING AN ALT LOSS OF 4000 FT, BUT TO NO AVAIL.
Narrative: I WAS FLYING AS A SAFETY PLT AND ACTING PIC OF THE FLT, FROM AMA TO ICT. WE WERE IN VFR CONDITIONS AT NIGHT WHEN WE ENCOUNTERED CLOUDS. I HAD CALLED FSS AT AMA, BEFORE DEPARTING, FOR A STANDARD WX BRIEFING. THE PROPOSED RTE WAS RPTED TO BE VFR. WHEN WE ENTERED THE CLOUDS, I ASKED THE PLT (WHO WAS WEARING FOGGLES) TO DSND FROM 9500 FT TO 7500 FT MSL AND INFORMED ZKC OF THE SIT. AT 7500 FT MSL WE WERE STILL IN THE CLOUDS. I ASKED THE PLT TO DSND FURTHER TO 5500 FT. WE REMAINED AT 5500 FT MSL FOR THE DURATION OF THE FLT, AND POPPED OUT OF THE CLOUDS APPROX 10 MINS AFTER WE ENTERED THEM. WE WERE ABLE TO MAINTAIN VFR FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE FLT. WHAT I SHOULD HAVE DONE WAS ASKED THE PLT TO TURN AROUND (180 DEG TURN) AS SOON AS WE ENTERED THE CLOUDS, AND FIND A DIFFERENT RTE THAT WOULD HAVE ALLOWED US TO REMAIN VFR.
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.