Small aircraft, on part 135 scheduled flight SVFR, encounters heavy smoke to 0 visibility condition.

Attributes
ACN	152156
Time
Date	199007
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : fai
State Reference	AK
Altitude	msl bound lower : 8000 msl bound upper : 8500
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zak tracon : fai tower : jnu
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	climbout : initial cruise other descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : svfr
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
ASRS Report	152156
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : vfr in imc inflight encounter other non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Today on a scheduled engine 135 flight I departed VFR in heavy smoke (1 1/2 mi). My destination was VFR, but I was forced on INS upon my departure, after which I requested and received flight following. I climbed to a VFR altitude with occasional 3-5 mi flight visibility. I flew through 120 mi of intermittent heavy smoke until 30 mi from my destination, where it cleared. The second leg of my trip was uneventful, but 4 hours later I again willingly flew through the smoke, restricting my visibility to 00 at 8500'. I was in a radar environment and was followed by center at a VFR altitude. Upon being turned over to approach I had occasional ground contact but very poor forward visibility. Because I did not think it was safe to continue SVFR, I requested and was vectored to the ILS. After discussing the flight with a company pilot who had returned from my destination, I chose to push my single engine part 135 VFR limits. I should have been more conservative on guessing the smoke conditions upon my return.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA, ON PART 135 SCHEDULED FLT SVFR, ENCOUNTERS HEAVY SMOKE TO 0 VISIBILITY CONDITION.

Narrative: TODAY ON A SCHEDULED ENG 135 FLT I DEPARTED VFR IN HEAVY SMOKE (1 1/2 MI). MY DEST WAS VFR, BUT I WAS FORCED ON INS UPON MY DEP, AFTER WHICH I REQUESTED AND RECEIVED FLT FOLLOWING. I CLBED TO A VFR ALT WITH OCCASIONAL 3-5 MI FLT VISIBILITY. I FLEW THROUGH 120 MI OF INTERMITTENT HVY SMOKE UNTIL 30 MI FROM MY DEST, WHERE IT CLRED. THE SECOND LEG OF MY TRIP WAS UNEVENTFUL, BUT 4 HRS LATER I AGAIN WILLINGLY FLEW THROUGH THE SMOKE, RESTRICTING MY VISIBILITY TO 00 AT 8500'. I WAS IN A RADAR ENVIRONMENT AND WAS FOLLOWED BY CENTER AT A VFR ALT. UPON BEING TURNED OVER TO APCH I HAD OCCASIONAL GND CONTACT BUT VERY POOR FORWARD VISIBILITY. BECAUSE I DID NOT THINK IT WAS SAFE TO CONTINUE SVFR, I REQUESTED AND WAS VECTORED TO THE ILS. AFTER DISCUSSING THE FLT WITH A COMPANY PLT WHO HAD RETURNED FROM MY DEST, I CHOSE TO PUSH MY SINGLE ENG PART 135 VFR LIMITS. I SHOULD HAVE BEEN MORE CONSERVATIVE ON GUESSING THE SMOKE CONDITIONS UPON MY RETURN.

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.