<< >> NASA ASRS Report 146309, May 1990

Small aircraft pilot VFR attempts to climb above cloud tops. Unable, but goes above 14000' without oxygen. Files IFR, descends.

Attributes
ACN	146309
Time
Date	199005
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : gmn
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 11000 msl bound upper : 14000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zla tower : atw
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 60 flight time total : 670
ASRS Report	146309
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : vfr in imc non adherence : far other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Attempting to fly VFR from lgb to scr. After passing gorman VOR tops were between 11000' and 16000'. Navigation at 14000'. Unable to maintain VFR and 14000'. Tower coordinator was inoperative. Did not wish to go IFR. Deviated above 14000' hoping to be able to quickly go below 14000'. Unable to go above tops. Requested priority handling and an IFR clearance to go IMC and to descend into clouds (below 14000'). Was given an IFR clearance to 11000' and no further emergency existed. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information. Reporter states he did not file IFR initially due to inoperative turn coordinator. Would have no back up if vacuum failed. Flew into situation where he could not turn around. Had good cooperation when requested priority and to file IFR with bfl approach. When xferred to oak approach he was about emergency and told them the situation no longer existed. Major concern was violating 14000' rule regarding oxygen.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA PLT VFR ATTEMPTS TO CLIMB ABOVE CLOUD TOPS. UNABLE, BUT GOES ABOVE 14000' WITHOUT OXYGEN. FILES IFR, DESCENDS.

Narrative: ATTEMPTING TO FLY VFR FROM LGB TO SCR. AFTER PASSING GORMAN VOR TOPS WERE BTWN 11000' AND 16000'. NAV AT 14000'. UNABLE TO MAINTAIN VFR AND 14000'. TWR COORDINATOR WAS INOPERATIVE. DID NOT WISH TO GO IFR. DEVIATED ABOVE 14000' HOPING TO BE ABLE TO QUICKLY GO BELOW 14000'. UNABLE TO GO ABOVE TOPS. REQUESTED PRIORITY HANDLING AND AN IFR CLRNC TO GO IMC AND TO DSND INTO CLOUDS (BELOW 14000'). WAS GIVEN AN IFR CLRNC TO 11000' AND NO FURTHER EMER EXISTED. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO. RPTR STATES HE DID NOT FILE IFR INITIALLY DUE TO INOP TURN COORDINATOR. WOULD HAVE NO BACK UP IF VACUUM FAILED. FLEW INTO SITUATION WHERE HE COULD NOT TURN AROUND. HAD GOOD COOPERATION WHEN REQUESTED PRIORITY AND TO FILE IFR WITH BFL APCH. WHEN XFERRED TO OAK APCH HE WAS ABOUT EMER AND TOLD THEM THE SITUATION NO LONGER EXISTED. MAJOR CONCERN WAS VIOLATING 14000' RULE REGARDING OXYGEN.

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.