Unauthorized penetration of airspace and VFR in IMC conditions.

Attributes
ACN	167745
Time
Date	199101
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : yum
State Reference	AZ
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3500 msl bound upper : 15500
Environment
Flight Conditions	Marginal
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : yum
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 25 flight time total : 475
ASRS Report	167745
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : vfr in imc inflight encounter : weather non adherence : far other anomaly other other anomaly other
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:

Vir flight plan mmgm to tus filed. WX reported at tus, broken ceiling 3400', 15 mi visibility. En route FSS was contacted for WX update, about 90 mi from tus. Reported icing and lower visibility, and VFR not recommended. VFR flight plan was modified to yum direct. My plan was to fly in mexican airspace direct until receiving bard VOR and making contact with yum approach. Cruise altitude 15500' with scattered clouds at 8000'. Yum reporting scattered clouds and 50 mi visibility. Approximately 60 mi prior to yum in mexican airspace, the scattered cloud deck became solid ahead, requiring IFR flight (IMC). Since I could neither contact tus FSS or yum approach, and did not have reliable VOR contact, I descended to 3500' (highest obstacle, 3600'). VFR conditions continued, but ceiling was of variable height, obscuring tops of mountain. My only safe route (out of IMC, clear of obstructions) was into restr area. I continued trying to contact yum approach to tell them of my problem, and was finally able to contact them with the help of an air carrier pilot relaying my efforts to contact them. Having established contact, yum approach was able to guide me through the restr area to yum and clear skies. Factors: incomplete WX information, no VOR or communication radio contact.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: UNAUTH PENETRATION OF AIRSPACE AND VFR IN IMC CONDITIONS.

Narrative: VIR FLT PLAN MMGM TO TUS FILED. WX RPTED AT TUS, BROKEN CEILING 3400', 15 MI VISIBILITY. ENRTE FSS WAS CONTACTED FOR WX UPDATE, ABOUT 90 MI FROM TUS. RPTED ICING AND LOWER VISIBILITY, AND VFR NOT RECOMMENDED. VFR FLT PLAN WAS MODIFIED TO YUM DIRECT. MY PLAN WAS TO FLY IN MEXICAN AIRSPACE DIRECT UNTIL RECEIVING BARD VOR AND MAKING CONTACT WITH YUM APCH. CRUISE ALT 15500' WITH SCATTERED CLOUDS AT 8000'. YUM RPTING SCATTERED CLOUDS AND 50 MI VISIBILITY. APPROX 60 MI PRIOR TO YUM IN MEXICAN AIRSPACE, THE SCATTERED CLOUD DECK BECAME SOLID AHEAD, REQUIRING IFR FLT (IMC). SINCE I COULD NEITHER CONTACT TUS FSS OR YUM APCH, AND DID NOT HAVE RELIABLE VOR CONTACT, I DSNDED TO 3500' (HIGHEST OBSTACLE, 3600'). VFR CONDITIONS CONTINUED, BUT CEILING WAS OF VARIABLE HEIGHT, OBSCURING TOPS OF MOUNTAIN. MY ONLY SAFE RTE (OUT OF IMC, CLR OF OBSTRUCTIONS) WAS INTO RESTR AREA. I CONTINUED TRYING TO CONTACT YUM APCH TO TELL THEM OF MY PROB, AND WAS FINALLY ABLE TO CONTACT THEM WITH THE HELP OF AN ACR PLT RELAYING MY EFFORTS TO CONTACT THEM. HAVING ESTABLISHED CONTACT, YUM APCH WAS ABLE TO GUIDE ME THROUGH THE RESTR AREA TO YUM AND CLR SKIES. FACTORS: INCOMPLETE WX INFO, NO VOR OR COM RADIO CONTACT.

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.