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Pilot of C150 possibly incurred phx class B airspace while trying to remain VFR in an increasing IMC environment.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 449185 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199909 |
| Day | Tue |
| Local Time Of Day | 1801 To 2400 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : sdl.airport |
| State Reference | AZ |
| Altitude | msl single value : 2500 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Weather Elements | Thunderstorm Rain |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tower : mem.tower |
| Operator | general aviation : personal |
| Make Model Name | Cessna 150 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Flight Phase | cruise : enroute altitude change cruise : level |
| Flight Plan | None |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : atp pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 20 flight time total : 3200 flight time type : 1300 |
| ASRS Report | 449185 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : approach controller : radar |
| Qualification | controller : radar |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | airspace violation : entry inflight encounter : weather non adherence : far other spatial deviation |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : landed as precaution flight crew : exited adverse environment none taken : insufficient time |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Flight Crew Human Performance Environmental Factor ATC Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
En route from iwa-dvt, I was cleared to transition through falcon field's class D airspace and frequency change to scottsdale tower was approved. As I approached scottsdale, a fast moving thunderstorm obscuring the mountains caused me to rethink my plan and turn around and land at falcon field. I did my best to avoid the WX, maintain VFR and remain clear of the phx class B airspace. However, I am somewhat uncertain if I actually did stay clear of the class B airspace due to the distraction and concern the WX caused me. I had attempted to contact phx approach but they would not talk to me. I believe that the WX moved in much faster than I had anticipated and my decision to depart was influenced by my desire to get home before it arrived. However, I feel I made the correct decision to abort the flight and land at the closest airport which was falcon field as soon as I realized that I was cutting it too close! When I contacted phx approach I asked for direct dvt in order to avoid the thunderstorm, but they said no time for VFR traffic and to remain clear of the class B airspace. I think that under the circumstances, my current position in relation to the WX, the airspace, and my altitude that I would only have been in the class B airspace for at most 2-4 mins and if they had taken a moment to assess my situation that they could have helped me out. The phx approach facility is just in the habit of locking out VFR traffic and could have at least given me a squawk code or asked me to identify in order to ascertain my position and what affect I would actually have on their airspace and traffic. Once they refused to work with me I was forced to make the decision to turn around and land at falcon field. I fear that in the process I came extremely close to the class B airspace, though I do not think I actually entered it, it was very close. The airspace around phx is very complex on a sunny day, when WX moves in it is severe, and controllers need to make an effort to assist pilots in those times.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: PLT OF C150 POSSIBLY INCURRED PHX CLASS B AIRSPACE WHILE TRYING TO REMAIN VFR IN AN INCREASING IMC ENVIRONMENT.
Narrative: ENRTE FROM IWA-DVT, I WAS CLRED TO TRANSITION THROUGH FALCON FIELD'S CLASS D AIRSPACE AND FREQ CHANGE TO SCOTTSDALE TWR WAS APPROVED. AS I APCHED SCOTTSDALE, A FAST MOVING TSTM OBSCURING THE MOUNTAINS CAUSED ME TO RETHINK MY PLAN AND TURN AROUND AND LAND AT FALCON FIELD. I DID MY BEST TO AVOID THE WX, MAINTAIN VFR AND REMAIN CLR OF THE PHX CLASS B AIRSPACE. HOWEVER, I AM SOMEWHAT UNCERTAIN IF I ACTUALLY DID STAY CLR OF THE CLASS B AIRSPACE DUE TO THE DISTR AND CONCERN THE WX CAUSED ME. I HAD ATTEMPTED TO CONTACT PHX APCH BUT THEY WOULD NOT TALK TO ME. I BELIEVE THAT THE WX MOVED IN MUCH FASTER THAN I HAD ANTICIPATED AND MY DECISION TO DEPART WAS INFLUENCED BY MY DESIRE TO GET HOME BEFORE IT ARRIVED. HOWEVER, I FEEL I MADE THE CORRECT DECISION TO ABORT THE FLT AND LAND AT THE CLOSEST ARPT WHICH WAS FALCON FIELD AS SOON AS I REALIZED THAT I WAS CUTTING IT TOO CLOSE! WHEN I CONTACTED PHX APCH I ASKED FOR DIRECT DVT IN ORDER TO AVOID THE TSTM, BUT THEY SAID NO TIME FOR VFR TFC AND TO REMAIN CLR OF THE CLASS B AIRSPACE. I THINK THAT UNDER THE CIRCUMSTANCES, MY CURRENT POS IN RELATION TO THE WX, THE AIRSPACE, AND MY ALT THAT I WOULD ONLY HAVE BEEN IN THE CLASS B AIRSPACE FOR AT MOST 2-4 MINS AND IF THEY HAD TAKEN A MOMENT TO ASSESS MY SIT THAT THEY COULD HAVE HELPED ME OUT. THE PHX APCH FACILITY IS JUST IN THE HABIT OF LOCKING OUT VFR TFC AND COULD HAVE AT LEAST GIVEN ME A SQUAWK CODE OR ASKED ME TO IDENT IN ORDER TO ASCERTAIN MY POS AND WHAT AFFECT I WOULD ACTUALLY HAVE ON THEIR AIRSPACE AND TFC. ONCE THEY REFUSED TO WORK WITH ME I WAS FORCED TO MAKE THE DECISION TO TURN AROUND AND LAND AT FALCON FIELD. I FEAR THAT IN THE PROCESS I CAME EXTREMELY CLOSE TO THE CLASS B AIRSPACE, THOUGH I DO NOT THINK I ACTUALLY ENTERED IT, IT WAS VERY CLOSE. THE AIRSPACE AROUND PHX IS VERY COMPLEX ON A SUNNY DAY, WHEN WX MOVES IN IT IS SEVERE, AND CTLRS NEED TO MAKE AN EFFORT TO ASSIST PLTS IN THOSE TIMES.
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.