Narrative:

Although I was in the back seat at the time of the incident, I thought for safety reasons I would report it. I had just sold the plane, an small aircraft, to a spi in alpena, mi. I flew the plane to alpena and the new owner flew it back to lansing, with his CFI in the right seat and me in the back. Current WX just before departure was something like: mbs 3500 broken and 15, lan 4700 broken and 10. Alpena was 4000 scattered and 15+. Forecast was 3500 scattered to overcast, visibility 7 or better, with slight chance of 1500 and 2 in snow showers. Approaching mbs conditions worsened in heavy snow. Eventually, just southwest of mbs, we flew into IMC at 2500' MSL. Twice from the back I had requested and received 500' dscnts from the pilot, but it was no longer possible to maintain VFR. At my insistence the CFI took over, requested and received an IFR clearance and the flight was completed west/O further problems. I think the CFI's reluctance to request an IFR clearance--the plane is IFR certified, as is he--was caused by the plane's intercom. It has only 1 push-to-talk on the left seat (spi's) headset. While flying VFR in IMC, it was necessary for me to instruct the student in disconnecting the microphone part of the intercom and replacing it with the hand-held microphone (always on board for emergency use). The alternative--having the student request the clearance and do all communicating with ATC--was unattractive. Perhaps an far requiring easy communications from the right seat during training is needed (or does it already exist?). I like reading, and learn from, your monthly reports. Thank you!

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CFI AND STUDENT PLT FLY VFR INTO WORSENING WX WITHOUT OBTAINING IFR CLRNC. VFR IN IMC.

Narrative: ALTHOUGH I WAS IN THE BACK SEAT AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT, I THOUGHT FOR SAFETY REASONS I WOULD RPT IT. I HAD JUST SOLD THE PLANE, AN SMA, TO A SPI IN ALPENA, MI. I FLEW THE PLANE TO ALPENA AND THE NEW OWNER FLEW IT BACK TO LANSING, WITH HIS CFI IN THE RIGHT SEAT AND ME IN THE BACK. CURRENT WX JUST BEFORE DEP WAS SOMETHING LIKE: MBS 3500 BROKEN AND 15, LAN 4700 BROKEN AND 10. ALPENA WAS 4000 SCATTERED AND 15+. FORECAST WAS 3500 SCATTERED TO OVCST, VISIBILITY 7 OR BETTER, WITH SLIGHT CHANCE OF 1500 AND 2 IN SNOW SHOWERS. APCHING MBS CONDITIONS WORSENED IN HEAVY SNOW. EVENTUALLY, JUST SW OF MBS, WE FLEW INTO IMC AT 2500' MSL. TWICE FROM THE BACK I HAD REQUESTED AND RECEIVED 500' DSCNTS FROM THE PLT, BUT IT WAS NO LONGER POSSIBLE TO MAINTAIN VFR. AT MY INSISTENCE THE CFI TOOK OVER, REQUESTED AND RECEIVED AN IFR CLRNC AND THE FLT WAS COMPLETED W/O FURTHER PROBS. I THINK THE CFI'S RELUCTANCE TO REQUEST AN IFR CLRNC--THE PLANE IS IFR CERTIFIED, AS IS HE--WAS CAUSED BY THE PLANE'S INTERCOM. IT HAS ONLY 1 PUSH-TO-TALK ON THE LEFT SEAT (SPI'S) HEADSET. WHILE FLYING VFR IN IMC, IT WAS NECESSARY FOR ME TO INSTRUCT THE STUDENT IN DISCONNECTING THE MIC PART OF THE INTERCOM AND REPLACING IT WITH THE HAND-HELD MIC (ALWAYS ON BOARD FOR EMER USE). THE ALTERNATIVE--HAVING THE STUDENT REQUEST THE CLRNC AND DO ALL COMMUNICATING WITH ATC--WAS UNATTRACTIVE. PERHAPS AN FAR REQUIRING EASY COMS FROM THE RIGHT SEAT DURING TRNING IS NEEDED (OR DOES IT ALREADY EXIST?). I LIKE READING, AND LEARN FROM, YOUR MONTHLY RPTS. THANK YOU!

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 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.