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A low time PA28-181 flight crew, attempting to circle at poc, entered IMC while VFR while awaiting SVFR clearance to land.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 576150 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200303 |
| Day | Tue |
| Local Time Of Day | 1801 To 2400 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : poc.airport |
| State Reference | CA |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 2500 msl bound upper : 2700 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | Marginal |
| Weather Elements | other |
| Light | Night |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tower : poc.tower |
| Operator | general aviation : personal |
| Make Model Name | PA-28 Cherokee/Archer II/Dakota/Pillan/Warrior |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Flight Phase | cruise : level |
| Route In Use | approach : traffic pattern approach other enroute other |
| Flight Plan | None |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : private |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 165 flight time total : 392 flight time type : 155 |
| ASRS Report | 576150 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : local |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | inflight encounter : vfr in imc non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far |
| Independent Detector | other controllera |
| Resolutory Action | controller : issued advisory controller : issued new clearance flight crew : exited adverse environment other |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Weather Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
We were flying from corona airfield, proceeding to brackett airfield. We were flying VFR under VMC. There were no clouds on our way to brackett airfield. We received brackett's ATIS information which reported 2 SM of visibility and 800 ft broken. With the hills of brackett in sight, we were maintaining 2500 ft. 8 SM from the field, inbound, we established 2-WAY communication with the tower. He informed us about the IFR conditions of the field. What I thought by that time was to cross the airfield from south to north, proceeding to cable airfield. We reported our altitude, 500 ft MSL, maintaining minimum cloud separation. On our transition to cable, over brackett field, we reported to the tower that we had the left downwind, left base, final, and runway 26L in sight. He reiterated the IFR conditions that the field was under IFR. We told the tower that 500 ft over the traffic pattern altitude we had the runway in sight, and requested to land at brackett. The tower told us to stand by. By that point, we were 1 NM north of brackett, so we did a 360 degree turn. While doing it, I climbed to 2700 ft MSL, and it was then when the airframe went into clouds. It was then when I realized we were not maintaining 500 ft separation with clouds. The tower then cleared us to land at brackett.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: A LOW TIME PA28-181 FLT CREW, ATTEMPTING TO CIRCLE AT POC, ENTERED IMC WHILE VFR WHILE AWAITING SVFR CLRNC TO LAND.
Narrative: WE WERE FLYING FROM CORONA AIRFIELD, PROCEEDING TO BRACKETT AIRFIELD. WE WERE FLYING VFR UNDER VMC. THERE WERE NO CLOUDS ON OUR WAY TO BRACKETT AIRFIELD. WE RECEIVED BRACKETT'S ATIS INFO WHICH RPTED 2 SM OF VISIBILITY AND 800 FT BROKEN. WITH THE HILLS OF BRACKETT IN SIGHT, WE WERE MAINTAINING 2500 FT. 8 SM FROM THE FIELD, INBOUND, WE ESTABLISHED 2-WAY COM WITH THE TWR. HE INFORMED US ABOUT THE IFR CONDITIONS OF THE FIELD. WHAT I THOUGHT BY THAT TIME WAS TO CROSS THE AIRFIELD FROM S TO N, PROCEEDING TO CABLE AIRFIELD. WE RPTED OUR ALT, 500 FT MSL, MAINTAINING MINIMUM CLOUD SEPARATION. ON OUR TRANSITION TO CABLE, OVER BRACKETT FIELD, WE RPTED TO THE TWR THAT WE HAD THE L DOWNWIND, L BASE, FINAL, AND RWY 26L IN SIGHT. HE REITERATED THE IFR CONDITIONS THAT THE FIELD WAS UNDER IFR. WE TOLD THE TWR THAT 500 FT OVER THE TFC PATTERN ALT WE HAD THE RWY IN SIGHT, AND REQUESTED TO LAND AT BRACKETT. THE TWR TOLD US TO STAND BY. BY THAT POINT, WE WERE 1 NM N OF BRACKETT, SO WE DID A 360 DEG TURN. WHILE DOING IT, I CLBED TO 2700 FT MSL, AND IT WAS THEN WHEN THE AIRFRAME WENT INTO CLOUDS. IT WAS THEN WHEN I REALIZED WE WERE NOT MAINTAINING 500 FT SEPARATION WITH CLOUDS. THE TWR THEN CLRED US TO LAND AT BRACKETT.
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.