PA44 pilot departs without IAP charts, diverts due to WX, and has to rely upon controller's verbal d...

Attributes
ACN	622506
Time
Date	200406
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : orf.airport
State Reference	VA
Altitude	msl single value : 8000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : orf.tracon
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	PA-44 Seminole Turbo Seminole
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Navigation In Use	ils localizer & glide slope : 5
Flight Phase	cruise : level descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : instrument precision arrival : on vectors enroute airway : v1.airway
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : commercial pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 655 flight time type : 35
ASRS Report	622506
Person 2
Function	observation : passenger
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : weather non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance controller : provided flight assist flight crew : diverted to another airport
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Weather Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Prior to departing mjx, we tried to purchase IAP for the nc/va area from several vendors. All vendors were out of the IAP. We obtained the WX forecast and were advised that our en route forecast would have some rain but 'hit or miss.' VFR conditions were forecasted outside of the rain. We filed an IFR flight plan. If we encountered IFR conditions, we were going to find a VFR airport and stop to purchase charts. We did hit rain and decided to divert to orf (which was VFR at the time of our request). We were cleared to orf and told to expect ILS runway 5. We told the controller that we did not have the chart and requested a verbal description. We assumed that if our request was unable to be met, we would have turned around and returned to VFR conditions. Controller gave us a description plus cleared us for the approach. We were told to contact the approach supervisor on the ground. He just requested information on why I did not have the IAP and I told him the story.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PA44 PLT DEPARTS WITHOUT IAP CHARTS, DIVERTS DUE TO WX, AND HAS TO RELY UPON CTLR'S VERBAL DESCRIPTION OF THE IAP.

Narrative: PRIOR TO DEPARTING MJX, WE TRIED TO PURCHASE IAP FOR THE NC/VA AREA FROM SEVERAL VENDORS. ALL VENDORS WERE OUT OF THE IAP. WE OBTAINED THE WX FORECAST AND WERE ADVISED THAT OUR ENRTE FORECAST WOULD HAVE SOME RAIN BUT 'HIT OR MISS.' VFR CONDITIONS WERE FORECASTED OUTSIDE OF THE RAIN. WE FILED AN IFR FLT PLAN. IF WE ENCOUNTERED IFR CONDITIONS, WE WERE GOING TO FIND A VFR ARPT AND STOP TO PURCHASE CHARTS. WE DID HIT RAIN AND DECIDED TO DIVERT TO ORF (WHICH WAS VFR AT THE TIME OF OUR REQUEST). WE WERE CLRED TO ORF AND TOLD TO EXPECT ILS RWY 5. WE TOLD THE CTLR THAT WE DID NOT HAVE THE CHART AND REQUESTED A VERBAL DESCRIPTION. WE ASSUMED THAT IF OUR REQUEST WAS UNABLE TO BE MET, WE WOULD HAVE TURNED AROUND AND RETURNED TO VFR CONDITIONS. CTLR GAVE US A DESCRIPTION PLUS CLRED US FOR THE APCH. WE WERE TOLD TO CONTACT THE APCH SUPVR ON THE GND. HE JUST REQUESTED INFO ON WHY I DID NOT HAVE THE IAP AND I TOLD HIM THE STORY.

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.

PA44 pilot departs without IAP charts, diverts due to WX, and has to rely upon controller's verbal description of the IAP.