 |
37000 Feet | Browse and search NASA's Aviation Safety Reporting System |
|
Limited familiarity with his aircraft and WX worse than expected leads a commercial pilot to request assistance from ATC after he becomes disoriented and begins to question his ability to complete an instrument approach.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 563110 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200210 |
| Day | Fri |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : okc.tracon |
| State Reference | OK |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 2500 msl bound upper : 6000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | Mixed |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : okc.tracon |
| Operator | general aviation : personal |
| Make Model Name | M-20 E Super 21 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Flight Phase | descent : intermediate altitude descent : approach |
| Route In Use | arrival : on vectors |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : cfi |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 40 flight time total : 557 flight time type : 45 |
| ASRS Report | 563110 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : approach |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | inflight encounter : weather other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | controller : provided flight assist controller : issued new clearance flight crew : became reoriented flight crew : diverted to another airport other |
| Consequence | faa : reviewed incident with flight crew |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Flight Crew Human Performance Weather |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
Narrative:
Preflight brief with FSS denver indicated VFR to MVFR conditions at destination (2DT). In-flight WX on 122.0 1 hour prior to arrival indicated VFR with let down thru clouds. Approximately 15 miles out, I requested descent and direct to 2DT. Was informed that ceiling was 1700 ft and I knew there was no IAP for 2DT. Asked for vectors to ILS at pwa and time to get organized. I was taken by surprise at the WX change. I had only 2 hours in this aircraft and was unprepared to initiate on approach. I began my let down to heading and while in IMC began to become disoriented. I requested a climb back to on top (5000 ft). At this point I was agitated and didn't feel like I could successfully complete an approach. I was given vector to the west and received considerable assistance from approach and another aircraft. I was cleared to descend below the cloud layer, which I did as a straight ahead controlled rate to approximately 2500 ft. I was given a vector to el reno airport, however, on entering the pattern, I saw that the runway was closed (yellow X). I proceeded to page municipal (F29) where I landed without further incident. I was instructed to call approach when down, which I did. I was not sufficiently prepared mentally, nor did I know the aircraft instrumentation sufficiently well to complete the approach. When I realized this was a potential emergency situation, when I was disoriented, I requested vectors to a VFR airport.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: LIMITED FAMILIARITY WITH HIS ACFT AND WX WORSE THAN EXPECTED LEADS A COMMERCIAL PLT TO REQUEST ASSISTANCE FROM ATC AFTER HE BECOMES DISORIENTED AND BEGINS TO QUESTION HIS ABILITY TO COMPLETE AN INSTRUMENT APCH.
Narrative: PREFLT BRIEF WITH FSS DENVER INDICATED VFR TO MVFR CONDITIONS AT DEST (2DT). INFLT WX ON 122.0 1 HR PRIOR TO ARR INDICATED VFR WITH LET DOWN THRU CLOUDS. APPROX 15 MILES OUT, I REQUESTED DESCENT AND DIRECT TO 2DT. WAS INFORMED THAT CEILING WAS 1700 FT AND I KNEW THERE WAS NO IAP FOR 2DT. ASKED FOR VECTORS TO ILS AT PWA AND TIME TO GET ORGANIZED. I WAS TAKEN BY SURPRISE AT THE WX CHANGE. I HAD ONLY 2 HRS IN THIS ACFT AND WAS UNPREPARED TO INITIATE ON APCH. I BEGAN MY LET DOWN TO HDG AND WHILE IN IMC BEGAN TO BECOME DISORIENTED. I REQUESTED A CLIMB BACK TO ON TOP (5000 FT). AT THIS POINT I WAS AGITATED AND DIDN'T FEEL LIKE I COULD SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETE AN APCH. I WAS GIVEN VECTOR TO THE W AND RECEIVED CONSIDERABLE ASSISTANCE FROM APCH AND ANOTHER ACFT. I WAS CLRED TO DESCEND BELOW THE CLOUD LAYER, WHICH I DID AS A STRAIGHT AHEAD CONTROLLED RATE TO APPROX 2500 FT. I WAS GIVEN A VECTOR TO EL RENO ARPT, HOWEVER, ON ENTERING THE PATTERN, I SAW THAT THE RWY WAS CLOSED (YELLOW X). I PROCEEDED TO PAGE MUNI (F29) WHERE I LANDED WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. I WAS INSTRUCTED TO CALL APCH WHEN DOWN, WHICH I DID. I WAS NOT SUFFICIENTLY PREPARED MENTALLY, NOR DID I KNOW THE ACFT INSTRUMENTATION SUFFICIENTLY WELL TO COMPLETE THE APCH. WHEN I REALIZED THIS WAS A POTENTIAL EMER SIT, WHEN I WAS DISORIENTED, I REQUESTED VECTORS TO A VFR ARPT.
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.