<< >> NASA ASRS Report 568945, December 2002

C172 pilot near bdl VOR returning to home base encounter solid clouds below and contacted N90 approach control for assistance.

Attributes
ACN	568945
Time
Date	200212
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : bdl.vortac
State Reference	CT
Altitude	msl single value : 6500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : y90.tracon tracon : n90.tracon tower : stl.tower
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Navigation In Use	other vortac
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 16 flight time total : 737 flight time type : 600
ASRS Report	568945
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : weather other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera other controllerb other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : provided flight assist flight crew : exited adverse environment none taken : detected after the fact
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Weather
Primary Problem	Weather

Narrative:

I was returning from spencer, ma (60M) with our club's aircraft where it was inspected. My preflight briefing showed more favorable winds at 4500 ft where I chose to cruise back to our home airport in gardiner, ny (5ny5). I encountered solid clouds under me about 20 mi into the flight. Seeing that there were scattered to broken clouds on the flight to massachusetts only 1 hour earlier, I expected plenty of breaks to descend through at my destination. The top of the undercast began rising and as I climbed to stay above it, realized that it was probably solid the rest of the way. I called new york approach for an emergency descent through the clouds but they vectored me back north of bradley airport where VFR WX was reported. I was handed off to bradley approach, descended VFR to 3000 ft, and flew VFR back to pou with radar advisories from bradley approach then new york approach.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C172 PLT NEAR BDL VOR RETURNING TO HOME BASE ENCOUNTER SOLID CLOUDS BELOW AND CONTACTED N90 APCH CTL FOR ASSISTANCE.

Narrative: I WAS RETURNING FROM SPENCER, MA (60M) WITH OUR CLUB'S ACFT WHERE IT WAS INSPECTED. MY PREFLT BRIEFING SHOWED MORE FAVORABLE WINDS AT 4500 FT WHERE I CHOSE TO CRUISE BACK TO OUR HOME ARPT IN GARDINER, NY (5NY5). I ENCOUNTERED SOLID CLOUDS UNDER ME ABOUT 20 MI INTO THE FLT. SEEING THAT THERE WERE SCATTERED TO BROKEN CLOUDS ON THE FLT TO MASSACHUSETTS ONLY 1 HR EARLIER, I EXPECTED PLENTY OF BREAKS TO DSND THROUGH AT MY DEST. THE TOP OF THE UNDERCAST BEGAN RISING AND AS I CLBED TO STAY ABOVE IT, REALIZED THAT IT WAS PROBABLY SOLID THE REST OF THE WAY. I CALLED NEW YORK APCH FOR AN EMER DSCNT THROUGH THE CLOUDS BUT THEY VECTORED ME BACK N OF BRADLEY ARPT WHERE VFR WX WAS RPTED. I WAS HANDED OFF TO BRADLEY APCH, DSNDED VFR TO 3000 FT, AND FLEW VFR BACK TO POU WITH RADAR ADVISORIES FROM BRADLEY APCH THEN NEW YORK APCH.

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.