Pilot of small aircraft on IFR attempting to top towering cumulus and frontal action without O2 was ...

Attributes
ACN	110665
Time
Date	198905
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : tas
State Reference	NM
Altitude	msl bound lower : 12000 msl bound upper : 13000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zab
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Retractable Gear
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude cruise other descent other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors enroute airway : v308
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 45 flight time total : 400 flight time type : 320
ASRS Report	110665
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : clearance non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera other other : unspecified cockpit
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : exited adverse environment other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Flying IFR in VFR conditions, carlsbad, NM, to alamosa 6, south of santa flight engineer at 10000'. Approaching major cell, precipitation and lightning. Asked to deviate west to skirt cell. Advised I would have to climb to 13000' for terrain, which I did. I failed to note time I climbed above 12500' because I was busy with the cell and didn't think I would be at altitude for long (filed for 10000'). Center called a bit later and asked if I was O2 equipped. I responded negative. I was told I was in uncontrolled airspace, so I announced I was descending to 12300'.I further descended to 12000' to be on IFR flight level. I'm not sure how long I was above 12500'. I don't believe it was more than 30 mins, but the controller asking me about my O2 situation worried me. After I descended to 12000' I was told by center they would lose radar contact in 5 mins, and I would go to ZDV. ZDV instructed ZAB to tell me that I would have to be at 14000' to cross the mountains on V308. I could hear ZDV but they could not hear me. I was still south of V308. ZDV relayed instructions to me through another aircraft to climb to 14000', which I could not do because of O2. I climbed a bit to get better radio reception. I told center unable to climb and asked to divert to durango. They told me they needed me at 13000' but at 12000' I wouldn't hit anything and to proceed to durango. They told me to go to 330, which I was at the time. Then they told me 260. I did so and told them I was in VFR conditions and could proceed visually. The course took me across V368 at 12000'. Since I was below their 13000' MEA I was unsure if I was in violation. I soon cancelled IFR because of WX in durango and landed pigosa springs. Corrective action for both would have carried O2 or to cancel IFR and proceed VFR.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF SMA ON IFR ATTEMPTING TO TOP TOWERING CUMULUS AND FRONTAL ACTION WITHOUT O2 WAS UNABLE TO COMPLY WITH MINIMUM ALT FOR IFR CLRNC. ACCEPTED VECTOR FROM ZDV DIVERTING TO PAGOSA SPRINGS AND WAS ABLE TO ESTABLISH VISUAL AND DESCENT.

Narrative: FLYING IFR IN VFR CONDITIONS, CARLSBAD, NM, TO ALAMOSA 6, S OF SANTA FE AT 10000'. APCHING MAJOR CELL, PRECIPITATION AND LIGHTNING. ASKED TO DEVIATE W TO SKIRT CELL. ADVISED I WOULD HAVE TO CLB TO 13000' FOR TERRAIN, WHICH I DID. I FAILED TO NOTE TIME I CLBED ABOVE 12500' BECAUSE I WAS BUSY WITH THE CELL AND DIDN'T THINK I WOULD BE AT ALT FOR LONG (FILED FOR 10000'). CENTER CALLED A BIT LATER AND ASKED IF I WAS O2 EQUIPPED. I RESPONDED NEGATIVE. I WAS TOLD I WAS IN UNCTLED AIRSPACE, SO I ANNOUNCED I WAS DSNDING TO 12300'.I FURTHER DSNDED TO 12000' TO BE ON IFR FLT LEVEL. I'M NOT SURE HOW LONG I WAS ABOVE 12500'. I DON'T BELIEVE IT WAS MORE THAN 30 MINS, BUT THE CTLR ASKING ME ABOUT MY O2 SITUATION WORRIED ME. AFTER I DSNDED TO 12000' I WAS TOLD BY CENTER THEY WOULD LOSE RADAR CONTACT IN 5 MINS, AND I WOULD GO TO ZDV. ZDV INSTRUCTED ZAB TO TELL ME THAT I WOULD HAVE TO BE AT 14000' TO CROSS THE MOUNTAINS ON V308. I COULD HEAR ZDV BUT THEY COULD NOT HEAR ME. I WAS STILL S OF V308. ZDV RELAYED INSTRUCTIONS TO ME THROUGH ANOTHER ACFT TO CLB TO 14000', WHICH I COULD NOT DO BECAUSE OF O2. I CLBED A BIT TO GET BETTER RADIO RECEPTION. I TOLD CENTER UNABLE TO CLB AND ASKED TO DIVERT TO DURANGO. THEY TOLD ME THEY NEEDED ME AT 13000' BUT AT 12000' I WOULDN'T HIT ANYTHING AND TO PROCEED TO DURANGO. THEY TOLD ME TO GO TO 330, WHICH I WAS AT THE TIME. THEN THEY TOLD ME 260. I DID SO AND TOLD THEM I WAS IN VFR CONDITIONS AND COULD PROCEED VISUALLY. THE COURSE TOOK ME ACROSS V368 AT 12000'. SINCE I WAS BELOW THEIR 13000' MEA I WAS UNSURE IF I WAS IN VIOLATION. I SOON CANCELLED IFR BECAUSE OF WX IN DURANGO AND LANDED PIGOSA SPRINGS. CORRECTIVE ACTION FOR BOTH WOULD HAVE CARRIED O2 OR TO CANCEL IFR AND PROCEED VFR.

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.

Pilot of small aircraft on IFR attempting to top towering cumulus and frontal action without O2 was unable to comply with minimum altitude for IFR clearance. Accepted vector from ZDV diverting to pagosa springs and was able to establish visual and descent.