<< >> NASA ASRS Report 199009, January 1992

Pilot of small aircraft trapped on top of overcast declared an emergency for radar vectors down through the overcast to landing at visibility.

Attributes
ACN	199009
Time
Date	199201
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : vis
State Reference	CA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 2500
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : fat tower : lan
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	descent : approach descent other landing other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 8 flight time total : 90 flight time type : 8
ASRS Report	199009
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : weather non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified cockpit
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Private pilot -- no instrument rate -- planned a flight from san diego to visalia. Planned on 4 seat aircraft but had to settle for a 3 seat aircraft. Arriving at airport found that aircraft down for repairs and had to accept an aircraft that carried less fuel. Obtained a WX briefing that was misleading to pilot with mind set that valley WX was improving. Took longer to climb over the hills south of bakersfield than planned. Got another WX briefing that again did not apprise pilot that WX was less than VFR. Briefing was accurate but pilot misinterpreted using his own conception of what the WX was doing. Arrived over visalia with 30 min fuel. Spent 15 looking for a hole in clouds. All airports in area now IFR. Declared an emergency and was radar vectored through the clouds to a 500 ft ceiling and approach to visalia. Landing accomplished. Only damage was to reporter's ego and emotional trauma.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF SMA TRAPPED ON TOP OF OVCST DECLARED AN EMER FOR RADAR VECTORS DOWN THROUGH THE OVCST TO LNDG AT VIS.

Narrative: PVT PLT -- NO INST RATE -- PLANNED A FLT FROM SAN DIEGO TO VISALIA. PLANNED ON 4 SEAT ACFT BUT HAD TO SETTLE FOR A 3 SEAT ACFT. ARRIVING AT ARPT FOUND THAT ACFT DOWN FOR REPAIRS AND HAD TO ACCEPT AN ACFT THAT CARRIED LESS FUEL. OBTAINED A WX BRIEFING THAT WAS MISLEADING TO PLT WITH MIND SET THAT VALLEY WX WAS IMPROVING. TOOK LONGER TO CLB OVER THE HILLS S OF BAKERSFIELD THAN PLANNED. GOT ANOTHER WX BRIEFING THAT AGAIN DID NOT APPRISE PLT THAT WX WAS LESS THAN VFR. BRIEFING WAS ACCURATE BUT PLT MISINTERPRETED USING HIS OWN CONCEPTION OF WHAT THE WX WAS DOING. ARRIVED OVER VISALIA WITH 30 MIN FUEL. SPENT 15 LOOKING FOR A HOLE IN CLOUDS. ALL ARPTS IN AREA NOW IFR. DECLARED AN EMER AND WAS RADAR VECTORED THROUGH THE CLOUDS TO A 500 FT CEILING AND APCH TO VISALIA. LNDG ACCOMPLISHED. ONLY DAMAGE WAS TO RPTR'S EGO AND EMOTIONAL TRAUMA.

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.