VFR flight in small aircraft, scud running, encountered IMC and downdrafts. Continued through WX on ...

Attributes
ACN	116138
Time
Date	198907
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : 81j
State Reference	FL
Altitude	msl bound lower : 700 msl bound upper : 1000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : vps tower : ord
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 25 flight time total : 500 flight time type : 250
ASRS Report	116138
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	controller : departure
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : vfr in imc non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Traveling west from pfn where I refueled, I encountered a rain shower while attempting to 'scud run' on my way to new. The eglin controller relayed to me reports of light rain and smooth ride by aircraft preceding me, therefore, I attempted to continue VFR. I am instrument rated but several months beyond currency. The rain had increased considerably and I found myself almost immediately immersed in solid IMC with moderate turbulence. After a downdraft sent me to 700 AGL, I woke up from my fretting. I got on the gauges, and bent the throttle. Without instrument training I'm sure I would be a statistic. I guess I'd emphasize more actual IFR in both private and instrument training. Without actual experience it's difficult to estimate the intensity and prevailing flight visibility from afar. In my situation, flight conditions deteriorated in a matter of seconds. I'd also have to add that the prevailing enforcement policies of the FAA make it unlikely that a pilot will 'volunteer' that he had stumbled into IMC.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: VFR FLT IN SMA, SCUD RUNNING, ENCOUNTERED IMC AND DOWNDRAFTS. CONTINUED THROUGH WX ON INSTRUMENTS.

Narrative: TRAVELING W FROM PFN WHERE I REFUELED, I ENCOUNTERED A RAIN SHOWER WHILE ATTEMPTING TO 'SCUD RUN' ON MY WAY TO NEW. THE EGLIN CTLR RELAYED TO ME REPORTS OF LIGHT RAIN AND SMOOTH RIDE BY ACFT PRECEDING ME, THEREFORE, I ATTEMPTED TO CONTINUE VFR. I AM INSTRUMENT RATED BUT SEVERAL MONTHS BEYOND CURRENCY. THE RAIN HAD INCREASED CONSIDERABLY AND I FOUND MYSELF ALMOST IMMEDIATELY IMMERSED IN SOLID IMC WITH MODERATE TURBULENCE. AFTER A DOWNDRAFT SENT ME TO 700 AGL, I WOKE UP FROM MY FRETTING. I GOT ON THE GAUGES, AND BENT THE THROTTLE. WITHOUT INSTRUMENT TRAINING I'M SURE I WOULD BE A STATISTIC. I GUESS I'D EMPHASIZE MORE ACTUAL IFR IN BOTH PRIVATE AND INSTRUMENT TRAINING. WITHOUT ACTUAL EXPERIENCE IT'S DIFFICULT TO ESTIMATE THE INTENSITY AND PREVAILING FLT VISIBILITY FROM AFAR. IN MY SITUATION, FLT CONDITIONS DETERIORATED IN A MATTER OF SECONDS. I'D ALSO HAVE TO ADD THAT THE PREVAILING ENFORCEMENT POLICIES OF THE FAA MAKE IT UNLIKELY THAT A PLT WILL 'VOLUNTEER' THAT HE HAD STUMBLED INTO IMC.

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.

VFR flight in small aircraft, scud running, encountered IMC and downdrafts. Continued through WX on instruments.