Narrative:

I was on an IFR flight plan from mrb to hts via V-166 esl. V-4 crw, direct hts. I received a WX briefing at the martinsburg FSS, and an earlier telephone briefing from the leesburg FSS. I waited for thunderstorm activity to move out of my route of flight before I departed from mrb. I had been made aware of strong winds forecast for the route of flight, and I requested and received 6000' to avoid the possibility of structural icing. En route I encountered winds substantially greater in velocity than those forecast, as well as standing mountain waves. Because I was on the lee side of the ridges my aircraft was caught in a severe downdraft and I was unable to maintain my assigned altitude. At this time I entered visibility meteorological conditions. I was in communication with clarksburg approach control. The controller warned that I was below MEA, warned me about the terrain, and offered to vector me to the petersburg, wv, airport. I considered declaring an emergency, but because I was in VMC and was able to control the airplane to avoid the terrain, I decided not to declare an emergency, and I declined the offer of vectors to petersburg. I also deviated north of the arwy in an effort to regain altitude, all the while remaining in communication with clarksburg approach control, either direct or by relays from another aircraft, although I was able to hear all clarksburg approach control's communications. Finally, with assistance from clarksburg approach control, I was able to climb to 8000' and proceed to elkins VOR. I requested a change in my flight plan to proceed to clarksburg. I landed at clarksburg with more than two hours fuel remaining. I refueled at clarksburg, filed an IFR flight plan to huntington, and proceeded to huntington west/O further event. At no time was any other aircraft threatened, as I was in VMC. In retrospect I should have realized that an small aircraft was marginal for the conditions forecast, and I learned that it was no match for the actual winds and downdrafts which prevailed. I was appreciative of the services provided and offered by clarksburg approach control and so advised the supervisor by telephone after I landed at clarksburg.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF SMA ON AN IFR FLT ENCOUNTERS SEVERE DOWNDRAFTS DUE TO UNEXPECTED STRONG WINDS ON THE LEEWARD SIDE OF MOUNTAINS. UNABLE TO MAINTAIN ALT, PLT DIECIDES TO REMAIN IN THE VFR CONDITIONS THAT HE HAD UNINTENTIONALLY DESCENDED INTO.

Narrative: I WAS ON AN IFR FLT PLAN FROM MRB TO HTS VIA V-166 ESL. V-4 CRW, DIRECT HTS. I RECEIVED A WX BRIEFING AT THE MARTINSBURG FSS, AND AN EARLIER TELEPHONE BRIEFING FROM THE LEESBURG FSS. I WAITED FOR TSTM ACTIVITY TO MOVE OUT OF MY RTE OF FLT BEFORE I DEPARTED FROM MRB. I HAD BEEN MADE AWARE OF STRONG WINDS FORECAST FOR THE RTE OF FLT, AND I REQUESTED AND RECEIVED 6000' TO AVOID THE POSSIBILITY OF STRUCTURAL ICING. ENRTE I ENCOUNTERED WINDS SUBSTANTIALLY GREATER IN VELOCITY THAN THOSE FORECAST, AS WELL AS STANDING MOUNTAIN WAVES. BECAUSE I WAS ON THE LEE SIDE OF THE RIDGES MY ACFT WAS CAUGHT IN A SEVERE DOWNDRAFT AND I WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN MY ASSIGNED ALT. AT THIS TIME I ENTERED VIS METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS. I WAS IN COM WITH CLARKSBURG APCH CTL. THE CTLR WARNED THAT I WAS BELOW MEA, WARNED ME ABOUT THE TERRAIN, AND OFFERED TO VECTOR ME TO THE PETERSBURG, WV, ARPT. I CONSIDERED DECLARING AN EMER, BUT BECAUSE I WAS IN VMC AND WAS ABLE TO CTL THE AIRPLANE TO AVOID THE TERRAIN, I DECIDED NOT TO DECLARE AN EMER, AND I DECLINED THE OFFER OF VECTORS TO PETERSBURG. I ALSO DEVIATED N OF THE ARWY IN AN EFFORT TO REGAIN ALT, ALL THE WHILE REMAINING IN COM WITH CLARKSBURG APCH CTL, EITHER DIRECT OR BY RELAYS FROM ANOTHER ACFT, ALTHOUGH I WAS ABLE TO HEAR ALL CLARKSBURG APCH CTL'S COMS. FINALLY, WITH ASSISTANCE FROM CLARKSBURG APCH CTL, I WAS ABLE TO CLB TO 8000' AND PROCEED TO ELKINS VOR. I REQUESTED A CHANGE IN MY FLT PLAN TO PROCEED TO CLARKSBURG. I LANDED AT CLARKSBURG WITH MORE THAN TWO HRS FUEL REMAINING. I REFUELED AT CLARKSBURG, FILED AN IFR FLT PLAN TO HUNTINGTON, AND PROCEEDED TO HUNTINGTON W/O FURTHER EVENT. AT NO TIME WAS ANY OTHER ACFT THREATENED, AS I WAS IN VMC. IN RETROSPECT I SHOULD HAVE REALIZED THAT AN SMA WAS MARGINAL FOR THE CONDITIONS FORECAST, AND I LEARNED THAT IT WAS NO MATCH FOR THE ACTUAL WINDS AND DOWNDRAFTS WHICH PREVAILED. I WAS APPRECIATIVE OF THE SVCS PROVIDED AND OFFERED BY CLARKSBURG APCH CTL AND SO ADVISED THE SUPVR BY TELEPHONE AFTER I LANDED AT CLARKSBURG.

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.