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C172 pilot reports getting caught above an overcast; calling ATC for assistance; and after finding hole descending VFR to an alternate.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 667981 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200508 |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : aby.airport |
| State Reference | GA |
| Altitude | msl single value : 2500 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | IMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zjx.artcc |
| Operator | general aviation : personal |
| Make Model Name | Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Flight Phase | cruise : level |
| Flight Plan | None |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : private |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 7.7 flight time total : 656.1 flight time type : 95 |
| ASRS Report | 667981 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : radar |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | inflight encounter : vfr in imc inflight encounter : weather non adherence : clearance non adherence : far |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : diverted to alternate flight crew : exited adverse environment |
| Consequence | faa : reviewed incident with flight crew |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Flight Crew Human Performance Weather |
| Primary Problem | Weather |
Narrative:
Took off from aby on training mission. Prior to takeoff verified WX as VFR at base; destination and alternate. 10 miles from destination that field turned marginal VFR. Decided to go to alternate (passed it on the way in; VFR and easily seen). Returned to alternate within 20 minutes of passing it on the way in and it just went IFR. Returned to aby and it went IFR. I called the tower and they confirmed IFR. Contacted jax center. As I called them a hole in the clouds opened up with a 2+ NM hole and sylvester (GA) airport was clearly seen on the west side of the hole. Cancelled jax center. Qsy to sylvester called traffic and descended through the east side of the hole. Cloud's bottom was above traffic pattern and while still in the clear hole entered pattern and landed. Hole above the airport remained for approximately 10 minutes after landing and then closed.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: C172 PLT RPTS GETTING CAUGHT ABOVE AN OVERCAST; CALLING ATC FOR ASSISTANCE; AND AFTER FINDING HOLE DSNDING VFR TO AN ALTERNATE.
Narrative: TOOK OFF FROM ABY ON TRAINING MISSION. PRIOR TO TKOF VERIFIED WX AS VFR AT BASE; DEST AND ALTERNATE. 10 MILES FROM DEST THAT FIELD TURNED MARGINAL VFR. DECIDED TO GO TO ALTERNATE (PASSED IT ON THE WAY IN; VFR AND EASILY SEEN). RETURNED TO ALTERNATE WITHIN 20 MINUTES OF PASSING IT ON THE WAY IN AND IT JUST WENT IFR. RETURNED TO ABY AND IT WENT IFR. I CALLED THE TWR AND THEY CONFIRMED IFR. CONTACTED JAX CTR. AS I CALLED THEM A HOLE IN THE CLOUDS OPENED UP WITH A 2+ NM HOLE AND SYLVESTER (GA) ARPT WAS CLRLY SEEN ON THE W SIDE OF THE HOLE. CANCELLED JAX CTR. QSY TO SYLVESTER CALLED TFC AND DSNDED THROUGH THE E SIDE OF THE HOLE. CLOUD'S BOTTOM WAS ABOVE TFC PATTERN AND WHILE STILL IN THE CLR HOLE ENTERED PATTERN AND LANDED. HOLE ABOVE THE ARPT REMAINED FOR APPROX 10 MINUTES AFTER LNDG AND THEN CLOSED.
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.