 |
37000 Feet | Browse and search NASA's Aviation Safety Reporting System |
|
Pilot of a mooney M20C climbed above assigned altitude during IFR cruise due to attempting to stay out of clouds resulting in ARTCC radar controller intervention.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 446940 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199908 |
| Day | Sat |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | navaid : mol.vor |
| State Reference | VA |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 9000 msl bound upper : 9300 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | IMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zdc.artcc |
| Operator | general aviation : personal |
| Make Model Name | M-20 B/C Ranger |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Flight Phase | cruise : level |
| Route In Use | enroute airway : v143.airway |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : private pilot : instrument |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 23 flight time total : 1078 flight time type : 713 |
| ASRS Report | 446940 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : radar |
| Qualification | controller : radar |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude inflight encounter : weather non adherence : clearance |
| Independent Detector | atc equipment other atc equipment : radar other controllera |
| Resolutory Action | controller : issued alert flight crew : returned to assigned altitude |
| Consequence | faa : reviewed incident with flight crew |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Weather Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
Received a standard briefing from flight service and filed an IFR plan from W91 (moneta, va) to fdk (frederick, md). While flying (mooney M20C), after about 10 mins entered IMC conditions (clouds). My assigned altitude was 7000 ft. After approximately 20 mins in solid clouds, requested and received 9000 ft. After approximately 5-10 mins I exited the clouds and immediately observed a very dark gray cell directly in front which I instinctively knew that I did not want to penetrate and that I would just skim the top at my existing/assigned altitude of 9000 ft. Just as I was about to enter the very top of the dark gray cell, ATC called and asked me my altitude and I promptly replied telling him the truth that I was at 9300 ft inadvertently while trying to skim the top of the cell and that I was immediately correcting to 9000 ft after requesting a current altimeter setting. While descending into the cell and leveling off at 9000 ft the controller gave me a mild reprimand saying that if everyone did that he would not be able to maintain the required 1000 ft separation. After I received an updated WX report from flight watch for fdk, I requested an amendment to my flight plan and requested a 180 degree turn to return to lyh (lynchburg) and a final IFR approach into W91 (moneta, va) I executed a VOR DME runway 23 approach into W91. End of flight.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: PLT OF A MOONEY M20C CLBED ABOVE ASSIGNED ALT DURING IFR CRUISE DUE TO ATTEMPTING TO STAY OUT OF CLOUDS RESULTING IN ARTCC RADAR CTLR INTERVENTION.
Narrative: RECEIVED A STANDARD BRIEFING FROM FLT SVC AND FILED AN IFR PLAN FROM W91 (MONETA, VA) TO FDK (FREDERICK, MD). WHILE FLYING (MOONEY M20C), AFTER ABOUT 10 MINS ENTERED IMC CONDITIONS (CLOUDS). MY ASSIGNED ALT WAS 7000 FT. AFTER APPROX 20 MINS IN SOLID CLOUDS, REQUESTED AND RECEIVED 9000 FT. AFTER APPROX 5-10 MINS I EXITED THE CLOUDS AND IMMEDIATELY OBSERVED A VERY DARK GRAY CELL DIRECTLY IN FRONT WHICH I INSTINCTIVELY KNEW THAT I DID NOT WANT TO PENETRATE AND THAT I WOULD JUST SKIM THE TOP AT MY EXISTING/ASSIGNED ALT OF 9000 FT. JUST AS I WAS ABOUT TO ENTER THE VERY TOP OF THE DARK GRAY CELL, ATC CALLED AND ASKED ME MY ALT AND I PROMPTLY REPLIED TELLING HIM THE TRUTH THAT I WAS AT 9300 FT INADVERTENTLY WHILE TRYING TO SKIM THE TOP OF THE CELL AND THAT I WAS IMMEDIATELY CORRECTING TO 9000 FT AFTER REQUESTING A CURRENT ALTIMETER SETTING. WHILE DSNDING INTO THE CELL AND LEVELING OFF AT 9000 FT THE CTLR GAVE ME A MILD REPRIMAND SAYING THAT IF EVERYONE DID THAT HE WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO MAINTAIN THE REQUIRED 1000 FT SEPARATION. AFTER I RECEIVED AN UPDATED WX RPT FROM FLT WATCH FOR FDK, I REQUESTED AN AMENDMENT TO MY FLT PLAN AND REQUESTED A 180 DEG TURN TO RETURN TO LYH (LYNCHBURG) AND A FINAL IFR APCH INTO W91 (MONETA, VA) I EXECUTED A VOR DME RWY 23 APCH INTO W91. END OF FLT.
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.