<< >> NASA ASRS Report 598417, November 2003

A C172 student pilot goes IMC in VFR flight in a fog bank on downwind leg and calls pit approach for vectors to the ILS for runway 8 at btp, PA.

Attributes
ACN	598417
Time
Date	200311
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : btp.airport
State Reference	PA
Altitude	msl single value : 2250
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Weather Elements	Fog
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : pit.tracon
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Navigation In Use	ils localizer & glide slope : 8
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : instrument precision approach : traffic pattern
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : student
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 27.8 flight time total : 48.6 flight time type : 48.6
ASRS Report	598417
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	controller : issued new clearance controller : provided flight assist flight crew : declared emergency flight crew : landed as precaution flight crew : exited adverse environment other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Facility Flight Crew Human Performance Weather
Primary Problem	Weather

Narrative:

Doing pattern practice (takeoffs and lndgs). Taf forecast was ceiling, 1500 ft and visibility more than 10 NM. On 8TH landing, encountered heavy fog rolling in quickly down to ground. Lost sight of airport and ground ceiling did not lower gradually, the fog rolled in horizontally as a wall completely enveloping the entire area immediately from north or northwest. Contacted pit approach control, emergency declared, vectored to intercept the ILS runway 8 btp. Landed safely. Taf's did not indicate deteriorating conditions at time of takeoff.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A C172 STUDENT PLT GOES IMC IN VFR FLT IN A FOG BANK ON DOWNWIND LEG AND CALLS PIT APCH FOR VECTORS TO THE ILS FOR RWY 8 AT BTP, PA.

Narrative: DOING PATTERN PRACTICE (TKOFS AND LNDGS). TAF FORECAST WAS CEILING, 1500 FT AND VISIBILITY MORE THAN 10 NM. ON 8TH LNDG, ENCOUNTERED HVY FOG ROLLING IN QUICKLY DOWN TO GND. LOST SIGHT OF ARPT AND GND CEILING DID NOT LOWER GRADUALLY, THE FOG ROLLED IN HORIZLY AS A WALL COMPLETELY ENVELOPING THE ENTIRE AREA IMMEDIATELY FROM N OR NW. CONTACTED PIT APCH CTL, EMER DECLARED, VECTORED TO INTERCEPT THE ILS RWY 8 BTP. LANDED SAFELY. TAF'S DID NOT INDICATE DETERIORATING CONDITIONS AT TIME OF TKOF.

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.