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A private pilot in an aviat huskey goes IMC in VFR flight when departing a non tower airport, D98, mi.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 479139 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200007 |
| Day | Sun |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : 77g.airport |
| State Reference | MI |
| Altitude | msl single value : 1500 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | Marginal |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Operator | general aviation : personal |
| Make Model Name | Christen A-1 Huskey |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Flight Phase | climbout : initial |
| Route In Use | departure : vfr enroute : direct |
| Flight Plan | None |
| Aircraft 2 | |
| Operator | general aviation : personal |
| Make Model Name | Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Flight Phase | climbout : takeoff climbout : initial |
| Route In Use | departure : vfr enroute : direct |
| Flight Plan | None |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : private |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 70 flight time total : 350 flight time type : 280 |
| ASRS Report | 479139 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : private |
| Events | |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : exited adverse environment flight crew : diverted to another airport none taken : insufficient time |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Weather Flight Crew Human Performance Environmental Factor Airport |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
At XA00, I departed D98 with 700-1000 ft ceilings (as reported by another pilot who departed before me). 3-7 mi visibility. After 15 mins of flying, visibility deteriorated to 1-2 mi in haze and sun glare. 7 mi south of the airport (77G) at 500-700 ft AGL, I lost contact with the ground as I flew into a cloud (fog). Before I made a 180 degree turn, I decided to stabilize my scan. After about 2 mins, I came out with the airport clearly in sight at 4 mi. I landed there and waited for conditions to improve to return to D98. This problem is clearly a case of bad judgement. After this flight, I've raised my own personal minimums so that MVFR WX is not included. My aircraft is IFR certified and I have completed my instrument training. These 2 factors that saved me from disaster. Taking and passing the instrument check ride and filing an IFR flight plan would have been the safest way to complete that flight. Also, polarized sunglasses would have allowed my vision to penetrate the glare and haze enough for me to see the cloud before I flew into it. 1 mi visibility and clear of clouds in my opinion is not adequate in michigan with all the towers around. Maybe 3 mi, but not 1. Also, taking PIREPS is not as reliable, to me, as an AWOS or ASOS. A PIREP that is volunteered may be more reliable than one that is solicited. Pilots are reluctant to report sub-VFR minimums over the airways.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: A PVT PLT IN AN AVIAT HUSKEY GOES IMC IN VFR FLT WHEN DEPARTING A NON TWR ARPT, D98, MI.
Narrative: AT XA00, I DEPARTED D98 WITH 700-1000 FT CEILINGS (AS RPTED BY ANOTHER PLT WHO DEPARTED BEFORE ME). 3-7 MI VISIBILITY. AFTER 15 MINS OF FLYING, VISIBILITY DETERIORATED TO 1-2 MI IN HAZE AND SUN GLARE. 7 MI S OF THE ARPT (77G) AT 500-700 FT AGL, I LOST CONTACT WITH THE GND AS I FLEW INTO A CLOUD (FOG). BEFORE I MADE A 180 DEG TURN, I DECIDED TO STABILIZE MY SCAN. AFTER ABOUT 2 MINS, I CAME OUT WITH THE ARPT CLRLY IN SIGHT AT 4 MI. I LANDED THERE AND WAITED FOR CONDITIONS TO IMPROVE TO RETURN TO D98. THIS PROB IS CLRLY A CASE OF BAD JUDGEMENT. AFTER THIS FLT, I'VE RAISED MY OWN PERSONAL MINIMUMS SO THAT MVFR WX IS NOT INCLUDED. MY ACFT IS IFR CERTIFIED AND I HAVE COMPLETED MY INST TRAINING. THESE 2 FACTORS THAT SAVED ME FROM DISASTER. TAKING AND PASSING THE INST CHK RIDE AND FILING AN IFR FLT PLAN WOULD HAVE BEEN THE SAFEST WAY TO COMPLETE THAT FLT. ALSO, POLARIZED SUNGLASSES WOULD HAVE ALLOWED MY VISION TO PENETRATE THE GLARE AND HAZE ENOUGH FOR ME TO SEE THE CLOUD BEFORE I FLEW INTO IT. 1 MI VISIBILITY AND CLR OF CLOUDS IN MY OPINION IS NOT ADEQUATE IN MICHIGAN WITH ALL THE TOWERS AROUND. MAYBE 3 MI, BUT NOT 1. ALSO, TAKING PIREPS IS NOT AS RELIABLE, TO ME, AS AN AWOS OR ASOS. A PIREP THAT IS VOLUNTEERED MAY BE MORE RELIABLE THAN ONE THAT IS SOLICITED. PLTS ARE RELUCTANT TO RPT SUB-VFR MINIMUMS OVER THE AIRWAYS.
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.