PA32 pilot attempts to negotiate the hudson river VFR corridor at 1500 feet and encounters IFR condi...

Attributes
ACN	762812
Time
Date	200711
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : n90.tracon
State Reference	NY
Altitude	msl single value : 1500
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : n90.tracon
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	PA-32 Cherokee Six/Lance/Saratoga
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 : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 21 flight time total : 880 flight time type : 462
ASRS Report	762812
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude inflight encounter : weather inflight encounter : vfr in imc non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Weather Airspace Structure Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Weather

Narrative:

I was flying from ZZZ to ZZZ1 at 3000 ft; descending to 1500 ft along the hudson river corridor after obtaining a class B clearance. WX at ZZZ was clear below 4000 ft. Forecast for ZZZ1 was 3000 ft ceilings. Crossing new york harbor; visibility was 5 mi in haze; as forecast in my preflight briefing. After reaching approximately midpoint of hudson river route (verrazano bridge to tappan zee bridge); I found that a low layer of fog had formed under me; and the ceilings above me had dropped to my altitude. Because I could no longer maintain visual contact with environment; and because narrowness of corridor precluded a safe 180 degree turn; I initiated an immediate climb to 2500 ft and informed ATC; saying that I was unable to maintain VFR. ATC told me that my radar services were terminated; to descend to VFR conditions; and to squawk VFR. Because of uncertainty of nearby terrain (buildings and bridges) I said I was unable. I asked for an IFR clearance to ZZZ1. ATC asked; 'why did you take off?' I replied; 'well; I'm here now;' and again requested an IFR clearance to ZZZ1. ATC said they were unable to give clearance to ZZZ1 because it was now below minimums; so I asked for and received a clearance to ZZZ2. (Later I changed destination to ZZZ3 and landed there without difficulty.) first; the flight conditions turned out to be worse than forecast. Second; I did not appreciate the rapidity with which the conditions were deteriorating. Third; ATC tried a couple of times to 'slam dunk' me off their radar screens without appreciating the developing danger. In the future; I will try to make better use of in-flight WX advisories (ATIS's en route; flight watch; etc) and terminate flight if conditions are deteriorating rapidly. Second; if conditions are marginal; I will try to work out with ATC in advance what I should do if I lose VMC. Third; I will use the words 'declare an emergency' if I feel I need more immediate handling for safety.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PA32 PILOT ATTEMPTS TO NEGOTIATE THE HUDSON RIVER VFR CORRIDOR AT 1500 FEET AND ENCOUNTERS IFR CONDITIONS. A CLIMB TO 2500 FEET AND REQUEST FOR IFR CLEARANCE IS INITIATED; MUCH TO THE CHAGRIN OF AN N90 CONTROLLER.

Narrative: I WAS FLYING FROM ZZZ TO ZZZ1 AT 3000 FT; DSNDING TO 1500 FT ALONG THE HUDSON RIVER CORRIDOR AFTER OBTAINING A CLASS B CLRNC. WX AT ZZZ WAS CLR BELOW 4000 FT. FORECAST FOR ZZZ1 WAS 3000 FT CEILINGS. XING NEW YORK HARBOR; VISIBILITY WAS 5 MI IN HAZE; AS FORECAST IN MY PREFLT BRIEFING. AFTER REACHING APPROX MIDPOINT OF HUDSON RIVER RTE (VERRAZANO BRIDGE TO TAPPAN ZEE BRIDGE); I FOUND THAT A LOW LAYER OF FOG HAD FORMED UNDER ME; AND THE CEILINGS ABOVE ME HAD DROPPED TO MY ALT. BECAUSE I COULD NO LONGER MAINTAIN VISUAL CONTACT WITH ENVIRONMENT; AND BECAUSE NARROWNESS OF CORRIDOR PRECLUDED A SAFE 180 DEG TURN; I INITIATED AN IMMEDIATE CLB TO 2500 FT AND INFORMED ATC; SAYING THAT I WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN VFR. ATC TOLD ME THAT MY RADAR SVCS WERE TERMINATED; TO DSND TO VFR CONDITIONS; AND TO SQUAWK VFR. BECAUSE OF UNCERTAINTY OF NEARBY TERRAIN (BUILDINGS AND BRIDGES) I SAID I WAS UNABLE. I ASKED FOR AN IFR CLRNC TO ZZZ1. ATC ASKED; 'WHY DID YOU TAKE OFF?' I REPLIED; 'WELL; I'M HERE NOW;' AND AGAIN REQUESTED AN IFR CLRNC TO ZZZ1. ATC SAID THEY WERE UNABLE TO GIVE CLRNC TO ZZZ1 BECAUSE IT WAS NOW BELOW MINIMUMS; SO I ASKED FOR AND RECEIVED A CLRNC TO ZZZ2. (LATER I CHANGED DEST TO ZZZ3 AND LANDED THERE WITHOUT DIFFICULTY.) FIRST; THE FLT CONDITIONS TURNED OUT TO BE WORSE THAN FORECAST. SECOND; I DID NOT APPRECIATE THE RAPIDITY WITH WHICH THE CONDITIONS WERE DETERIORATING. THIRD; ATC TRIED A COUPLE OF TIMES TO 'SLAM DUNK' ME OFF THEIR RADAR SCREENS WITHOUT APPRECIATING THE DEVELOPING DANGER. IN THE FUTURE; I WILL TRY TO MAKE BETTER USE OF INFLT WX ADVISORIES (ATIS'S ENRTE; FLT WATCH; ETC) AND TERMINATE FLT IF CONDITIONS ARE DETERIORATING RAPIDLY. SECOND; IF CONDITIONS ARE MARGINAL; I WILL TRY TO WORK OUT WITH ATC IN ADVANCE WHAT I SHOULD DO IF I LOSE VMC. THIRD; I WILL USE THE WORDS 'DECLARE AN EMER' IF I FEEL I NEED MORE IMMEDIATE HANDLING FOR SAFETY.

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.

PA32 pilot attempts to negotiate the hudson river VFR corridor at 1500 feet and encounters IFR conditions. A climb to 2500 feet and request for IFR clearance is initiated; much to the chagrin of an N90 controller.