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C182 instrument rated private pilot in MVFR conditions is caught in deteriorating WX causing him to turn 180 degrees, and climb at highest rate to avoid mountainous terrain, and then request an IFR clearance.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 534385 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200201 |
| Day | Fri |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | navaid : alb.vortac |
| State Reference | NY |
| Altitude | msl single value : 3500 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | Marginal |
| Weather Elements | Snow |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : alb.tracon |
| Operator | general aviation : personal |
| Make Model Name | Skylane 182/RG Turbo Skylane/RG |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Navigation In Use | other vortac |
| Flight Phase | cruise : level |
| Flight Plan | None |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : private pilot : instrument |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 29 flight time total : 884 flight time type : 316 |
| ASRS Report | 534385 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : approach |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | inflight encounter : vfr in imc inflight encounter : weather non adherence : far |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | other |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Weather Airspace Structure Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | Weather |
Narrative:
Instrument rated private pilot and 1 observer were conducting observation flight in MVFR WX. Targets located in low mountainous area. Successful location and observation of first target completed. En route to second target, WX continued to deteriorate, although still VFR. Upon nearing second target, WX suddenly became IFR, due to heavy snow squalls. Pilot immediately turned away from mountains, added full power, established maximum angle of climb and contacted approach for IFR clearance back to departure airport. Problem arose from concentrating on mission accomplishment rather than adequate attention to the deteriorating WX conditions. Flight following or the filing of a round-robin flight plan would have facilitated and expedited contact with ATC for vectors out of mountainous area, and significantly reduced pilot workload in a critical situation.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: C182 INST RATED PVT PLT IN MVFR CONDITIONS IS CAUGHT IN DETERIORATING WX CAUSING HIM TO TURN 180 DEGS, AND CLB AT HIGHEST RATE TO AVOID MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN, AND THEN REQUEST AN IFR CLRNC.
Narrative: INST RATED PVT PLT AND 1 OBSERVER WERE CONDUCTING OBSERVATION FLT IN MVFR WX. TARGETS LOCATED IN LOW MOUNTAINOUS AREA. SUCCESSFUL LOCATION AND OBSERVATION OF FIRST TARGET COMPLETED. ENRTE TO SECOND TARGET, WX CONTINUED TO DETERIORATE, ALTHOUGH STILL VFR. UPON NEARING SECOND TARGET, WX SUDDENLY BECAME IFR, DUE TO HVY SNOW SQUALLS. PLT IMMEDIATELY TURNED AWAY FROM MOUNTAINS, ADDED FULL PWR, ESTABLISHED MAX ANGLE OF CLB AND CONTACTED APCH FOR IFR CLRNC BACK TO DEP ARPT. PROB AROSE FROM CONCENTRATING ON MISSION ACCOMPLISHMENT RATHER THAN ADEQUATE ATTN TO THE DETERIORATING WX CONDITIONS. FLT FOLLOWING OR THE FILING OF A ROUND-ROBIN FLT PLAN WOULD HAVE FACILITATED AND EXPEDITED CONTACT WITH ATC FOR VECTORS OUT OF MOUNTAINOUS AREA, AND SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCED PLT WORKLOAD IN A CRITICAL SIT.
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.