Rerouted over water in single engine aircraft without survival gear.

Attributes
ACN	85354
Time
Date	198804
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : sie
State Reference	NJ
Altitude	msl bound lower : 7000 msl bound upper : 9000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Marginal
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : adw
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Retractable Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other ground : preflight
Route In Use	enroute airway : v139
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 15 flight time total : 367 flight time type : 13
ASRS Report	85354
Person 2
Function	controller : clearance delivery
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

I filed for the following IFR route from adw to isp 'polla V170 dqo direct pne direct gxu direct rby V276 dixie V1 dpk.' when I called clearance delivery at about XA40 I was told I was cleared as filed. I had proposed departing at XA00, but was delayed in getting the plane ready. While taxiing out I was directed to contact clearance again. I did, and my clearance was revised to polla V312 paleo V44 sea isle V139 sardi direct calverton direct islip. I accepted the clearance because I did not want the delay of requesting a change. A departure delay beyond XB00 would cause me to violate the af aeronautical club limit on a 12 hour duty day. The flight was successfully completed even though the route took me approximately 35 mi offshore in a single engine aircraft. While on the overwater portion at an MEA of 7000' I had to request an altitude change due to icing. I was given 9000', which put me in the clear on top. I think I was lucky. Icing was not in the forecast and was only present in the cloud tops above about 7000'. Use of preferred IFR routes for single engine aircraft will result in aircraft loss when the routes have long overwater portions. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: reporter had discussed incident with friends and now realized he could have requested a rerouting while en route. Is new to the east coast area. Explained the flight was operated in accordance with far, but if he is not comfortable, all he need do is request a change from the controller.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: REROUTED OVER WATER IN SINGLE ENGINE ACFT WITHOUT SURVIVAL GEAR.

Narrative: I FILED FOR THE FOLLOWING IFR ROUTE FROM ADW TO ISP 'POLLA V170 DQO DIRECT PNE DIRECT GXU DIRECT RBY V276 DIXIE V1 DPK.' WHEN I CALLED CLRNC DELIVERY AT ABOUT XA40 I WAS TOLD I WAS CLRED AS FILED. I HAD PROPOSED DEPARTING AT XA00, BUT WAS DELAYED IN GETTING THE PLANE READY. WHILE TAXIING OUT I WAS DIRECTED TO CONTACT CLRNC AGAIN. I DID, AND MY CLRNC WAS REVISED TO POLLA V312 PALEO V44 SEA ISLE V139 SARDI DIRECT CALVERTON DIRECT ISLIP. I ACCEPTED THE CLRNC BECAUSE I DID NOT WANT THE DELAY OF REQUESTING A CHANGE. A DEP DELAY BEYOND XB00 WOULD CAUSE ME TO VIOLATE THE AF AERO CLUB LIMIT ON A 12 HOUR DUTY DAY. THE FLT WAS SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETED EVEN THOUGH THE ROUTE TOOK ME APPROX 35 MI OFFSHORE IN A SINGLE ENG ACFT. WHILE ON THE OVERWATER PORTION AT AN MEA OF 7000' I HAD TO REQUEST AN ALT CHANGE DUE TO ICING. I WAS GIVEN 9000', WHICH PUT ME IN THE CLR ON TOP. I THINK I WAS LUCKY. ICING WAS NOT IN THE FORECAST AND WAS ONLY PRESENT IN THE CLOUD TOPS ABOVE ABOUT 7000'. USE OF PREFERRED IFR ROUTES FOR SINGLE ENG ACFT WILL RESULT IN ACFT LOSS WHEN THE ROUTES HAVE LONG OVERWATER PORTIONS. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: RPTR HAD DISCUSSED INCIDENT WITH FRIENDS AND NOW REALIZED HE COULD HAVE REQUESTED A REROUTING WHILE ENRTE. IS NEW TO THE E COAST AREA. EXPLAINED THE FLT WAS OPERATED IN ACCORDANCE WITH FAR, BUT IF HE IS NOT COMFORTABLE, ALL HE NEED DO IS REQUEST A CHANGE FROM THE CTLR.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 2007 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.