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A BE33 pilot climbed above 17500 ft in sea airspace in order to remain VMC and above the icing layer. ATC assisted VMC descent planning.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 656765 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200505 |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : zzz.airport |
| State Reference | US |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 17500 msl bound upper : 19000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zzz1.artcc artcc : zzz2.artcc |
| Operator | general aviation : personal |
| Make Model Name | Bonanza 33 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Flight Phase | cruise : level |
| Flight Plan | VFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : multi engine |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 38.7 flight time total : 587.6 flight time type : 313 |
| ASRS Report | 656765 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | other personnel |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | airspace violation : entry inflight encounter : weather non adherence : far |
| Independent Detector | other controllera other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | controller : issued advisory flight crew : exited adverse environment |
| Consequence | faa : reviewed incident with flight crew |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Weather Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | Weather |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
Departed after researching WX and receiving a full brief from FSS. Knew there was icing above 8000 ft; so determined to stay out of clouds. Had just completed ground portion of BFR; discussed that it was better to go high than fly the roads and canyons. While flying up the valley; climbed progressively to maintain VFR. Layer below was solid; but knew ZZZ3 to be scattered. Checked in with flight watch and confirmed ZZZ3 still scattered. Also received forecast updates indicating tops at 12000 ft. Had climbed to 17500 ft -- aircraft performing well. Pilot had been on oxygen since climbing above 10500 ft. North of lake; layer seemed to continue to rise. To maintain cloud separation and out of icing; climbed above 17500 ft. ATC flight following controller advised I was above VFR limits in class a airspace. I informed no choice and no apparent direction improved situation. I deviated to northeast -- possible lower layer. Although controller advised down; I indicated I was descending but couldn't go into IMC. Handoff to ZZZ3 sector very helpful. ATC looking for holes. ZZZ3 still reporting clear east of airport. Found hole; descended. Landed ZZZ4. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter has not heard from the FAA about this incident. The controllers did not ask him to declare an emergency in order to enter class a airspace and appeared willing to assist.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: A BE33 PLT CLBED ABOVE 17500 FT IN SEA AIRSPACE IN ORDER TO REMAIN VMC AND ABOVE THE ICING LAYER. ATC ASSISTED VMC DSCNT PLANNING.
Narrative: DEPARTED AFTER RESEARCHING WX AND RECEIVING A FULL BRIEF FROM FSS. KNEW THERE WAS ICING ABOVE 8000 FT; SO DETERMINED TO STAY OUT OF CLOUDS. HAD JUST COMPLETED GND PORTION OF BFR; DISCUSSED THAT IT WAS BETTER TO GO HIGH THAN FLY THE ROADS AND CANYONS. WHILE FLYING UP THE VALLEY; CLBED PROGRESSIVELY TO MAINTAIN VFR. LAYER BELOW WAS SOLID; BUT KNEW ZZZ3 TO BE SCATTERED. CHKED IN WITH FLT WATCH AND CONFIRMED ZZZ3 STILL SCATTERED. ALSO RECEIVED FORECAST UPDATES INDICATING TOPS AT 12000 FT. HAD CLBED TO 17500 FT -- ACFT PERFORMING WELL. PLT HAD BEEN ON OXYGEN SINCE CLBING ABOVE 10500 FT. N OF LAKE; LAYER SEEMED TO CONTINUE TO RISE. TO MAINTAIN CLOUD SEPARATION AND OUT OF ICING; CLBED ABOVE 17500 FT. ATC FLT FOLLOWING CTLR ADVISED I WAS ABOVE VFR LIMITS IN CLASS A AIRSPACE. I INFORMED NO CHOICE AND NO APPARENT DIRECTION IMPROVED SIT. I DEVIATED TO NE -- POSSIBLE LOWER LAYER. ALTHOUGH CTLR ADVISED DOWN; I INDICATED I WAS DSNDING BUT COULDN'T GO INTO IMC. HDOF TO ZZZ3 SECTOR VERY HELPFUL. ATC LOOKING FOR HOLES. ZZZ3 STILL RPTING CLR E OF ARPT. FOUND HOLE; DSNDED. LANDED ZZZ4. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR HAS NOT HEARD FROM THE FAA ABOUT THIS INCIDENT. THE CTLRS DID NOT ASK HIM TO DECLARE AN EMER IN ORDER TO ENTER CLASS A AIRSPACE AND APPEARED WILLING TO ASSIST.
Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.