VFR in IMC, flight assist.

Attributes
ACN	92135
Time
Date	198808
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : tvc
State Reference	MI
Altitude	msl bound lower : 5500 msl bound upper : 5500
Environment
Flight Conditions	Marginal
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : tvc
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 79 flight time total : 414 flight time type : 364
ASRS Report	92135
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : weather inflight encounter : vfr in imc
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	controller : provided flight assist flight crew : became reoriented other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Flight plan consisted of departure esc, isq, stx, cvx, tvc. Upon visual arrival of charlevoix (4 mi bearing 090 degrees) while listening to tvc ATIS report, I said to my passenger, 'there is charlevoix and here is the way to traverse city's tvc,' then advancing LORAN C. The display came up showing a new bearing of 122 degrees and a NM display. At this point (west/O it registering that 122 degrees was way off course) I explained to my passenger, 'now we turn to 122,' and I did just that, not even thinking that I was already on course for tvc (from that point) about 185 or 190 degrees. I started to explain the LORAN. This display shows ground speed of 135 KTS, 'so we have a good tail wind.' still did not register. In the next few mins the VOR got my attention and I knew something was not up to PAR. Looking at the then unfamiliar terrain below, I said, 'looks like I-75 just north of gaylord otsego county.' at this point I said that the LORAN must be wrong! (Later inspection found that I had put in wrong west coordinates in for tvc throwing tvc some 45 mi east of reality.) visibility had reduced to 2 mi at this point and I started tracking in to the tvc on the 240 degree right 'to' tvc. When the tvc tower asked I told them I was on the 240 degree right (when actually I was on the 060 degree right inbound). My instruction on VOR was really quick and cloudy and is now being rectified by a cfii. Thanks to tvc controllers and a USCG helicopter there was no incident. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: coast guard helicopter was airborne and spotted aircraft while hearing conversation. Tower turned aircraft over to helicopter to guide toward airport. Pilot directionally disoriented with approaching cold front and hazy conditions. Knew where he was from ground references, but could not tell tower his position correctly. Has had several hours with an instrument instrument and feels he has benefitted greatly.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: VFR IN IMC, FLT ASSIST.

Narrative: FLT PLAN CONSISTED OF DEP ESC, ISQ, STX, CVX, TVC. UPON VISUAL ARR OF CHARLEVOIX (4 MI BEARING 090 DEGS) WHILE LISTENING TO TVC ATIS RPT, I SAID TO MY PAX, 'THERE IS CHARLEVOIX AND HERE IS THE WAY TO TRAVERSE CITY'S TVC,' THEN ADVANCING LORAN C. THE DISPLAY CAME UP SHOWING A NEW BEARING OF 122 DEGS AND A NM DISPLAY. AT THIS POINT (W/O IT REGISTERING THAT 122 DEGS WAS WAY OFF COURSE) I EXPLAINED TO MY PAX, 'NOW WE TURN TO 122,' AND I DID JUST THAT, NOT EVEN THINKING THAT I WAS ALREADY ON COURSE FOR TVC (FROM THAT POINT) ABOUT 185 OR 190 DEGS. I STARTED TO EXPLAIN THE LORAN. THIS DISPLAY SHOWS GND SPD OF 135 KTS, 'SO WE HAVE A GOOD TAIL WIND.' STILL DID NOT REGISTER. IN THE NEXT FEW MINS THE VOR GOT MY ATTN AND I KNEW SOMETHING WAS NOT UP TO PAR. LOOKING AT THE THEN UNFAMILIAR TERRAIN BELOW, I SAID, 'LOOKS LIKE I-75 JUST N OF GAYLORD OTSEGO COUNTY.' AT THIS POINT I SAID THAT THE LORAN MUST BE WRONG! (LATER INSPECTION FOUND THAT I HAD PUT IN WRONG W COORDINATES IN FOR TVC THROWING TVC SOME 45 MI E OF REALITY.) VIS HAD REDUCED TO 2 MI AT THIS POINT AND I STARTED TRACKING IN TO THE TVC ON THE 240 DEG R 'TO' TVC. WHEN THE TVC TWR ASKED I TOLD THEM I WAS ON THE 240 DEG R (WHEN ACTUALLY I WAS ON THE 060 DEG R INBND). MY INSTRUCTION ON VOR WAS REALLY QUICK AND CLOUDY AND IS NOW BEING RECTIFIED BY A CFII. THANKS TO TVC CTLRS AND A USCG HELI THERE WAS NO INCIDENT. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: COAST GUARD HELI WAS AIRBORNE AND SPOTTED ACFT WHILE HEARING CONVERSATION. TWR TURNED ACFT OVER TO HELI TO GUIDE TOWARD ARPT. PLT DIRECTIONALLY DISORIENTED WITH APCHING COLD FRONT AND HAZY CONDITIONS. KNEW WHERE HE WAS FROM GND REFERENCES, BUT COULD NOT TELL TWR HIS POS CORRECTLY. HAS HAD SEVERAL HRS WITH AN INSTRUMENT INSTR AND FEELS HE HAS BENEFITTED GREATLY.

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.