Narrative:

I am on an IFR flight plan from tvl-sdl. The WX calls for isolated thunderstorms from the las vegas area to phoenix, but FSS tells me I should have no problem circumnaving them. During the flight, FSS provides me with several course deviations to avoid the WX. I am directed to cross bxk VOR at 7000 ft then fly V16 to pxr VOR. After bxk, I am told to fly to pxr on the 150 degree radial. Prior to pxr I am given a heading of 360 degrees and told to descend to 6300 ft. I am now with luke control. This heading is taking me into a severe echo and I request lower and direct sdl. After 2 requests, I am given a 060 degree heading and 6000 ft. I am then lowered to 5000 ft, then 4000 ft, and asked to report sdl in sight. I see that the sdl area is covered by a thunderstorm (both visually and my radar) and ask luke control for detail on its location, movement, and intensity. They are unable to give me any information. Luke suggests at 15-20 degree left turn to avoid the echo. I immediately turn 20 degrees and was hit by the western edge of the storm. I noticed a runway to my north (+/-3 mi) off my left wing and informed ATC that I needed to land at that airport below immediately. I am now +/-4 mi southeast of the airport (dvt). ATC asks if I want to cancel IFR and I say yes and squawk 1200. They tell me to contact the advisory frequency and report no traffic in the area. They also tell me that runway 25L is the runway being used. The rain is now getting heavy. I am +/-4 mi east of the airport and immediately configure the plane for landing. I checked the area visually for traffic and commenced an aggressive descent attitude. I called the frequency I was given on final (+/-3 mi out) and was cleared to land runway 25L. Upon landing, I informed tower that I was here to avoid the storm. They turned me over the ground and ground had me call the tower. Within 5 mins of tying the airplane down, the thunderstorm hit and lasted 20 mins. I called the tower and explained the situation. They asked for my pilot certification number and name, which I gave them. I believe that my violation was not getting cleared to enter dvt airspace. With echoes to my west, south, and east, and being on the edge of one moving in my direction, I had no other escape route at the time. I knew that I had to get the plane either out of the area or on that available runway. I could not get out of the area, so I landed. I knew that there was no conflicting air traffic in the area, and believe my course of action was justified. Having looked back, I should have contacted tower sooner, but I was too concerned with the storm and getting the plane in a position to land.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA PLT LANDS DVT TO AVOID APCHING TSTM.

Narrative: I AM ON AN IFR FLT PLAN FROM TVL-SDL. THE WX CALLS FOR ISOLATED TSTMS FROM THE LAS VEGAS AREA TO PHOENIX, BUT FSS TELLS ME I SHOULD HAVE NO PROB CIRCUMNAVING THEM. DURING THE FLT, FSS PROVIDES ME WITH SEVERAL COURSE DEVS TO AVOID THE WX. I AM DIRECTED TO CROSS BXK VOR AT 7000 FT THEN FLY V16 TO PXR VOR. AFTER BXK, I AM TOLD TO FLY TO PXR ON THE 150 DEG RADIAL. PRIOR TO PXR I AM GIVEN A HDG OF 360 DEGS AND TOLD TO DSND TO 6300 FT. I AM NOW WITH LUKE CTL. THIS HDG IS TAKING ME INTO A SEVERE ECHO AND I REQUEST LOWER AND DIRECT SDL. AFTER 2 REQUESTS, I AM GIVEN A 060 DEG HDG AND 6000 FT. I AM THEN LOWERED TO 5000 FT, THEN 4000 FT, AND ASKED TO RPT SDL IN SIGHT. I SEE THAT THE SDL AREA IS COVERED BY A TSTM (BOTH VISUALLY AND MY RADAR) AND ASK LUKE CTL FOR DETAIL ON ITS LOCATION, MOVEMENT, AND INTENSITY. THEY ARE UNABLE TO GIVE ME ANY INFO. LUKE SUGGESTS AT 15-20 DEG L TURN TO AVOID THE ECHO. I IMMEDIATELY TURN 20 DEGS AND WAS HIT BY THE WESTERN EDGE OF THE STORM. I NOTICED A RWY TO MY N (+/-3 MI) OFF MY L WING AND INFORMED ATC THAT I NEEDED TO LAND AT THAT ARPT BELOW IMMEDIATELY. I AM NOW +/-4 MI SE OF THE ARPT (DVT). ATC ASKS IF I WANT TO CANCEL IFR AND I SAY YES AND SQUAWK 1200. THEY TELL ME TO CONTACT THE ADVISORY FREQ AND RPT NO TFC IN THE AREA. THEY ALSO TELL ME THAT RWY 25L IS THE RWY BEING USED. THE RAIN IS NOW GETTING HVY. I AM +/-4 MI E OF THE ARPT AND IMMEDIATELY CONFIGURE THE PLANE FOR LNDG. I CHKED THE AREA VISUALLY FOR TFC AND COMMENCED AN AGGRESSIVE DSCNT ATTITUDE. I CALLED THE FREQ I WAS GIVEN ON FINAL (+/-3 MI OUT) AND WAS CLRED TO LAND RWY 25L. UPON LNDG, I INFORMED TWR THAT I WAS HERE TO AVOID THE STORM. THEY TURNED ME OVER THE GND AND GND HAD ME CALL THE TWR. WITHIN 5 MINS OF TYING THE AIRPLANE DOWN, THE TSTM HIT AND LASTED 20 MINS. I CALLED THE TWR AND EXPLAINED THE SIT. THEY ASKED FOR MY PLT CERTIFICATION NUMBER AND NAME, WHICH I GAVE THEM. I BELIEVE THAT MY VIOLATION WAS NOT GETTING CLRED TO ENTER DVT AIRSPACE. WITH ECHOES TO MY W, S, AND E, AND BEING ON THE EDGE OF ONE MOVING IN MY DIRECTION, I HAD NO OTHER ESCAPE RTE AT THE TIME. I KNEW THAT I HAD TO GET THE PLANE EITHER OUT OF THE AREA OR ON THAT AVAILABLE RWY. I COULD NOT GET OUT OF THE AREA, SO I LANDED. I KNEW THAT THERE WAS NO CONFLICTING AIR TFC IN THE AREA, AND BELIEVE MY COURSE OF ACTION WAS JUSTIFIED. HAVING LOOKED BACK, I SHOULD HAVE CONTACTED TWR SOONER, BUT I WAS TOO CONCERNED WITH THE STORM AND GETTING THE PLANE IN A POS TO LAND.

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.