J3 pilot entered eug class D airspace without clearance and flew VFR in IMC conditions.

Attributes
ACN	533033
Time
Date	200112
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : eug.airport
State Reference	OR
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Weather Elements	Rain other
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : zzz.tower
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	J3 Cub
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 50 flight time total : 400 flight time type : 7
ASRS Report	533033
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Events
Anomaly	airspace violation : entry incursion : runway inflight encounter : vfr in imc inflight encounter : weather non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera other controllerb
Consequence	faa : investigated faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Weather Aircraft
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Deteriorating WX caused flight in MVFR/IMC. Eug reported 1 scattered,5 broken 40 overcast. Flight to eug, in J3 cub, using handheld radio. Radio was the contributing factor. Poor range ATC instructions were difficult to hear, and per their tower supervisor, were difficult to understand. Per the tower supervisor, I entered class D airspace without clearance and landing without clearance. I called initially at 10 mi out, MVFR with WX closing behind me. I heard a response, and then requested an SVFR. I then called at 5 mi out, then 4 mi out, with requests for SVFR. I was then on a right downwind for runway 34, and heard 'flight X, cleared to land runway 34.' once on the ground, I was advised to contact ATC supervisor. Contributing factors: failure of controller to use light gun signal prior to entering class D airspace and in class D airspace. Poor radio (hand held). MVFR. Corrective actions. Do not fly to controled fields with light aircraft. Better WX information to pilot to prevent flight into IMC.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: J3 PLT ENTERED EUG CLASS D AIRSPACE WITHOUT CLRNC AND FLEW VFR IN IMC CONDITIONS.

Narrative: DETERIORATING WX CAUSED FLT IN MVFR/IMC. EUG RPTED 1 SCATTERED,5 BROKEN 40 OVCST. FLT TO EUG, IN J3 CUB, USING HANDHELD RADIO. RADIO WAS THE CONTRIBUTING FACTOR. POOR RANGE ATC INSTRUCTIONS WERE DIFFICULT TO HEAR, AND PER THEIR TWR SUPVR, WERE DIFFICULT TO UNDERSTAND. PER THE TWR SUPVR, I ENTERED CLASS D AIRSPACE WITHOUT CLRNC AND LWOC. I CALLED INITIALLY AT 10 MI OUT, MVFR WITH WX CLOSING BEHIND ME. I HEARD A RESPONSE, AND THEN REQUESTED AN SVFR. I THEN CALLED AT 5 MI OUT, THEN 4 MI OUT, WITH REQUESTS FOR SVFR. I WAS THEN ON A R DOWNWIND FOR RWY 34, AND HEARD 'FLT X, CLRED TO LAND RWY 34.' ONCE ON THE GND, I WAS ADVISED TO CONTACT ATC SUPVR. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: FAILURE OF CTLR TO USE LIGHT GUN SIGNAL PRIOR TO ENTERING CLASS D AIRSPACE AND IN CLASS D AIRSPACE. POOR RADIO (HAND HELD). MVFR. CORRECTIVE ACTIONS. DO NOT FLY TO CTLED FIELDS WITH LIGHT ACFT. BETTER WX INFO TO PLT TO PREVENT FLT INTO IMC.

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.