Narrative:

En route with a spi on a dual x-country we contacted griffiss approach for stage 4 services through the utica TRSA and were told to maintain at or above 2500' because of traffic beneath us. (I believe it was heavy jet traffic from and to griffiss AFB). Approach also gave us a vector which the spi acknowledged. This altitude and heading was eventually going to lead us into the clouds (a thick scattered layer). I asked the student what she was going to do to correct this problem and she replied 'nothing, they told us to maintain 2500' and this heading.' I told her she could not fly into the clouds and had to maintain VFR minimums and we did not have the capability to climb above them in time. I could get her to change altitude or heading, even after I told her to call approach and advise them that we needed to descend. I took control of the aircraft and attempted to contact griffiss approach twice before I remembered that the copilot push to talk was inoperative. I tried to contact them with the hand-held microphone but was unable. Not wanting to enter IMC or break VFR minimums with the spi I began a descent and descended to 2100' to maintain VFR. Griffiss then called us and asked us what altitude we were at. I told them we had to descend to 2100' to maintain VFR and were unable to contact them. In my attempt to help foster the good judgement and decision making skills of my student, I let the situation deteriorate to a point where I had to act and could not act in time, showing poor judgement on my part. I should also have remembered that the push-to-talk was inoperative because it had been written up 2 days earlier. Although it was VMC, the visibility was decreasing and it is questionable whether we could have maintained a safe sep with high speed, heavy aircraft going into griffiss AFB, and I believe that was the reason for the altitude restriction to begin with.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: INEXPERIENCED FLT INSTRUCTOR LETS STUDENT GO TOO FAR BEFORE TAKING CTL OF THE SITUATION.

Narrative: ENRTE WITH A SPI ON A DUAL X-COUNTRY WE CONTACTED GRIFFISS APCH FOR STAGE 4 SVCS THROUGH THE UTICA TRSA AND WERE TOLD TO MAINTAIN AT OR ABOVE 2500' BECAUSE OF TFC BENEATH US. (I BELIEVE IT WAS HVY JET TFC FROM AND TO GRIFFISS AFB). APCH ALSO GAVE US A VECTOR WHICH THE SPI ACKNOWLEDGED. THIS ALT AND HDG WAS EVENTUALLY GOING TO LEAD US INTO THE CLOUDS (A THICK SCATTERED LAYER). I ASKED THE STUDENT WHAT SHE WAS GOING TO DO TO CORRECT THIS PROB AND SHE REPLIED 'NOTHING, THEY TOLD US TO MAINTAIN 2500' AND THIS HDG.' I TOLD HER SHE COULD NOT FLY INTO THE CLOUDS AND HAD TO MAINTAIN VFR MINIMUMS AND WE DID NOT HAVE THE CAPABILITY TO CLB ABOVE THEM IN TIME. I COULD GET HER TO CHANGE ALT OR HDG, EVEN AFTER I TOLD HER TO CALL APCH AND ADVISE THEM THAT WE NEEDED TO DSND. I TOOK CTL OF THE ACFT AND ATTEMPTED TO CONTACT GRIFFISS APCH TWICE BEFORE I REMEMBERED THAT THE COPLT PUSH TO TALK WAS INOP. I TRIED TO CONTACT THEM WITH THE HAND-HELD MIC BUT WAS UNABLE. NOT WANTING TO ENTER IMC OR BREAK VFR MINIMUMS WITH THE SPI I BEGAN A DSNT AND DSNDED TO 2100' TO MAINTAIN VFR. GRIFFISS THEN CALLED US AND ASKED US WHAT ALT WE WERE AT. I TOLD THEM WE HAD TO DSND TO 2100' TO MAINTAIN VFR AND WERE UNABLE TO CONTACT THEM. IN MY ATTEMPT TO HELP FOSTER THE GOOD JUDGEMENT AND DECISION MAKING SKILLS OF MY STUDENT, I LET THE SITUATION DETERIORATE TO A POINT WHERE I HAD TO ACT AND COULD NOT ACT IN TIME, SHOWING POOR JUDGEMENT ON MY PART. I SHOULD ALSO HAVE REMEMBERED THAT THE PUSH-TO-TALK WAS INOP BECAUSE IT HAD BEEN WRITTEN UP 2 DAYS EARLIER. ALTHOUGH IT WAS VMC, THE VISIBILITY WAS DECREASING AND IT IS QUESTIONABLE WHETHER WE COULD HAVE MAINTAINED A SAFE SEP WITH HIGH SPD, HVY ACFT GOING INTO GRIFFISS AFB, AND I BELIEVE THAT WAS THE REASON FOR THE ALT RESTRICTION TO BEGIN WITH.

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.