<< >> NASA ASRS Report 662370, June 2005

C150 pilot seeking transit through hio class D in less than VMC conditions fails to request special VFR. Some confusion ensues.

Attributes
ACN	662370
Time
Date	200506
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : hio.airport
State Reference	OR
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2000 msl bound upper : 2800
Environment
Flight Conditions	Marginal
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : hio.tower
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Cessna 150
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 15.2 flight time total : 63 flight time type : 63
ASRS Report	662370
Person 2
Function	controller : local
Events
Anomaly	airspace violation : entry inflight encounter : weather non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued advisory none taken : anomaly accepted
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Weather Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Departed 7s3 in VFR conditions. Requested transit northbound thru hio delta airspace. Hio ATIS was reporting below VFR minimums due to cloud layer 700 to 1600 ft MSL. Tower asked if I had ATIS; reminded me they were below VFR minimums; and asked me to 'state intentions.' I erroneously believed SVFR was just needed for arrs and departures; so I repeated my transit request; thinking that the tower misunderstood. After a few moments; the tower said to 'stay east of airfield;' which I did. Continuing to climb; I was just exiting the delta airspace above when the tower said 'transition approved.' I suspect the tower was annoyed with me; but just gave me a break. While the weather east of hio was VFR; and the holes thru the clouds quite large; I should have known to ask for an SVFR clearance for the transit. I have studied SVFR rules since the incident and I'll do it right next time.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C150 PLT SEEKING TRANSIT THROUGH HIO CLASS D IN LESS THAN VMC CONDITIONS FAILS TO REQUEST SPECIAL VFR. SOME CONFUSION ENSUES.

Narrative: DEPARTED 7S3 IN VFR CONDITIONS. REQUESTED TRANSIT NBOUND THRU HIO DELTA AIRSPACE. HIO ATIS WAS RPTING BELOW VFR MINIMUMS DUE TO CLOUD LAYER 700 TO 1600 FT MSL. TWR ASKED IF I HAD ATIS; REMINDED ME THEY WERE BELOW VFR MINIMUMS; AND ASKED ME TO 'STATE INTENTIONS.' I ERRONEOUSLY BELIEVED SVFR WAS JUST NEEDED FOR ARRS AND DEPS; SO I REPEATED MY TRANSIT REQUEST; THINKING THAT THE TWR MISUNDERSTOOD. AFTER A FEW MOMENTS; THE TWR SAID TO 'STAY E OF AIRFIELD;' WHICH I DID. CONTINUING TO CLB; I WAS JUST EXITING THE DELTA AIRSPACE ABOVE WHEN THE TWR SAID 'TRANSITION APPROVED.' I SUSPECT THE TWR WAS ANNOYED WITH ME; BUT JUST GAVE ME A BREAK. WHILE THE WEATHER E OF HIO WAS VFR; AND THE HOLES THRU THE CLOUDS QUITE LARGE; I SHOULD HAVE KNOWN TO ASK FOR AN SVFR CLRNC FOR THE TRANSIT. I HAVE STUDIED SVFR RULES SINCE THE INCIDENT AND I'LL DO IT RIGHT NEXT TIME.

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.