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DC3 flight crew while VFR encounters unforecast WX and requests IFR clearance to nearest field. After climb; flight crew encounters VFR and continues to destination.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 694626 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200604 |
| Local Time Of Day | 1801 To 2400 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : lit.airport |
| State Reference | AR |
| Altitude | agl bound lower : 500 agl bound upper : 1000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | Marginal |
| Weather Elements | Thunderstorm |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zme.artcc |
| Operator | general aviation : personal |
| Make Model Name | DC-3/Dakota/Skytrain |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Flight Phase | cruise : level |
| Flight Plan | VFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | other |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : commercial pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 21 flight time total : 29470 flight time type : 2200 |
| ASRS Report | 694626 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | inflight encounter : weather non adherence : far |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | controller : issued new clearance controller : provided flight assist |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Weather Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
Narrative:
We were trying to stay VFR through lit airspace; but we could not stay that way. ZME told us that lit had 800 ft scattered; 2500 ft broken and 5000 ft overcast. However; that didn't work out. We ended up at 500-1000 ft AGL to stay clear of clouds. I finally gave up and requested a clearance for an approach to lit as the clouds and rain made it impossible to continue to our destination. We were given a clearance to 4000 ft MSL for radar vectors to the ILS 4L at lit airport upon reaching 4000 ft MSL. We were enough on top that I canceled the approach clearance to lit and requested an IFR clearance on to our destination; plk; at 10000 ft MSL. The flight was uneventful after that. The reason for trying to stay VFR was that we did not have WX radar. ZME gave us a bad WX report for lit which sucked us into a bad scenario of having to fly lower than we would have liked to. Fortunately; when I decided to accept the IFR clearance the WX was mostly rain with no embedded high level thunderstorms.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: DC3 FLT CREW WHILE VFR ENCOUNTERS UNFORECAST WX AND REQUESTS IFR CLRNC TO NEAREST FIELD. AFTER CLB; FLT CREW ENCOUNTERS VFR AND CONTINUES TO DEST.
Narrative: WE WERE TRYING TO STAY VFR THROUGH LIT AIRSPACE; BUT WE COULD NOT STAY THAT WAY. ZME TOLD US THAT LIT HAD 800 FT SCATTERED; 2500 FT BROKEN AND 5000 FT OVCST. HOWEVER; THAT DIDN'T WORK OUT. WE ENDED UP AT 500-1000 FT AGL TO STAY CLR OF CLOUDS. I FINALLY GAVE UP AND REQUESTED A CLRNC FOR AN APCH TO LIT AS THE CLOUDS AND RAIN MADE IT IMPOSSIBLE TO CONTINUE TO OUR DEST. WE WERE GIVEN A CLRNC TO 4000 FT MSL FOR RADAR VECTORS TO THE ILS 4L AT LIT ARPT UPON REACHING 4000 FT MSL. WE WERE ENOUGH ON TOP THAT I CANCELED THE APCH CLRNC TO LIT AND REQUESTED AN IFR CLRNC ON TO OUR DEST; PLK; AT 10000 FT MSL. THE FLT WAS UNEVENTFUL AFTER THAT. THE REASON FOR TRYING TO STAY VFR WAS THAT WE DID NOT HAVE WX RADAR. ZME GAVE US A BAD WX RPT FOR LIT WHICH SUCKED US INTO A BAD SCENARIO OF HAVING TO FLY LOWER THAN WE WOULD HAVE LIKED TO. FORTUNATELY; WHEN I DECIDED TO ACCEPT THE IFR CLRNC THE WX WAS MOSTLY RAIN WITH NO EMBEDDED HIGH LEVEL TSTMS.
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.