An experienced GA pilot cites fear of FAA violation procedure as reason for scud-running dive to avo...

Attributes
ACN	132263
Time
Date	198912
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : cew
State Reference	FL
Altitude	msl bound lower : 900 msl bound upper : 4500
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : nse
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Retractable Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other cruise other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : cfi pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 20 flight time total : 7000 flight time type : 100
ASRS Report	132263
Person 2
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 20 flight time total : 7000 flight time type : 100
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : weather non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : exited penetrated airspace
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

In 12/89 about :30 local time, I was on a VFR flight plan from bct to mobile. We had originally filed to tlh, but the forecast WX was good as we continued/extended our flight plan to mob. As we passed crestview VOR at 4500' VFR on V198, we flew into rain at a rapidly lower ceiling. To maintain VFR I started a descent immediately and turned toward pensacola airport. As I looked for the pensacola approach control frequency, I failed to notice that we had been closer to crestview than I'd thought and we'd strayed into the arsa around whiting field, NAS. I did an immediate turn away from the arsa. Because I felt certain I'd violated the arsa airspace (I probably came within 3 mi of the whiting north field). I elected not to call pensacola approach, but to depart the area at 1000', scud-running under the WX to a VFR landing at bfm. My concern for the present FAA 0 tolerance policy caused me to opt for the VFR scud-running at 900-1000' under the WX, instead of asking for an is from pensacola approach. My failure to have perfect awareness was the cause of the problem, which was then exacerbated by my concern for a formal violation.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN EXPERIENCED GA PLT CITES FEAR OF FAA VIOLATION PROC AS REASON FOR SCUD-RUNNING DIVE TO AVOID DETECTION OF PENETRATION OF ARSA.

Narrative: IN 12/89 ABOUT :30 LCL TIME, I WAS ON A VFR FLT PLAN FROM BCT TO MOBILE. WE HAD ORIGINALLY FILED TO TLH, BUT THE FORECAST WX WAS GOOD AS WE CONTINUED/EXTENDED OUR FLT PLAN TO MOB. AS WE PASSED CRESTVIEW VOR AT 4500' VFR ON V198, WE FLEW INTO RAIN AT A RAPIDLY LOWER CEILING. TO MAINTAIN VFR I STARTED A DSCNT IMMEDIATELY AND TURNED TOWARD PENSACOLA ARPT. AS I LOOKED FOR THE PENSACOLA APCH CTL FREQ, I FAILED TO NOTICE THAT WE HAD BEEN CLOSER TO CRESTVIEW THAN I'D THOUGHT AND WE'D STRAYED INTO THE ARSA AROUND WHITING FIELD, NAS. I DID AN IMMEDIATE TURN AWAY FROM THE ARSA. BECAUSE I FELT CERTAIN I'D VIOLATED THE ARSA AIRSPACE (I PROBABLY CAME WITHIN 3 MI OF THE WHITING N FIELD). I ELECTED NOT TO CALL PENSACOLA APCH, BUT TO DEPART THE AREA AT 1000', SCUD-RUNNING UNDER THE WX TO A VFR LNDG AT BFM. MY CONCERN FOR THE PRESENT FAA 0 TOLERANCE POLICY CAUSED ME TO OPT FOR THE VFR SCUD-RUNNING AT 900-1000' UNDER THE WX, INSTEAD OF ASKING FOR AN IS FROM PENSACOLA APCH. MY FAILURE TO HAVE PERFECT AWARENESS WAS THE CAUSE OF THE PROB, WHICH WAS THEN EXACERBATED BY MY CONCERN FOR A FORMAL VIOLATION.

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.

An experienced GA pilot cites fear of FAA violation procedure as reason for scud-running dive to avoid detection of penetration of arsa.