IMC in VFR flight by rotary winged traffic during training flight.

Attributes
ACN	200261
Time
Date	199201
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : tcy
State Reference	CA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 500 agl bound upper : 500
Environment
Flight Conditions	Marginal
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : dtw
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Helicopter
Flight Phase	cruise other cruise other cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : direct
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 75 flight time total : 300 flight time type : 80
ASRS Report	200261
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : vfr in imc inflight encounter : weather non adherence : far other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

While en route from mod to oak I encountered a low cloud ceiling. I was able to continue the flight flying via highway 580 wbound. As I tried to cross altamont pass I was not able to stay in VMC. While attempting a 180 degree turn I entered the low clouds. The only visibility I had was straight down. During the left pedal turn I drug the rotor RPM down to the point of activating the low RPM warning system. I was able to find and land at tracy airport until conditions improved. I did obtain a WX briefing via the FSS tapes (the flight originated in oakland with stops in sac and mod). Both sac and mod were reporting scattered to overcast and 5 mi visibility in haze. During the briefing I could not find out information about overcast layers. On the previous legs of the flts both destinations were clear, with low overcast layers from 5-10 mi in between. Part of what led to this incident was my desire to complete the flight. I am a commercial helicopter student, this was my last cross country requirement before my chkride. I had been trying to make this flight for 6 weeks but had been unable to due to WX. This also showed me that just listening to forecast surface observations can lead a pilot to draw false pictures of the WX picture.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: IMC IN VFR FLT BY ROTARY WINGED TFC DURING TRAINING FLT.

Narrative: WHILE ENRTE FROM MOD TO OAK I ENCOUNTERED A LOW CLOUD CEILING. I WAS ABLE TO CONTINUE THE FLT FLYING VIA HWY 580 WBOUND. AS I TRIED TO CROSS ALTAMONT PASS I WAS NOT ABLE TO STAY IN VMC. WHILE ATTEMPTING A 180 DEG TURN I ENTERED THE LOW CLOUDS. THE ONLY VISIBILITY I HAD WAS STRAIGHT DOWN. DURING THE L PEDAL TURN I DRUG THE ROTOR RPM DOWN TO THE POINT OF ACTIVATING THE LOW RPM WARNING SYS. I WAS ABLE TO FIND AND LAND AT TRACY ARPT UNTIL CONDITIONS IMPROVED. I DID OBTAIN A WX BRIEFING VIA THE FSS TAPES (THE FLT ORIGINATED IN OAKLAND WITH STOPS IN SAC AND MOD). BOTH SAC AND MOD WERE RPTING SCATTERED TO OVCST AND 5 MI VISIBILITY IN HAZE. DURING THE BRIEFING I COULD NOT FIND OUT INFO ABOUT OVCST LAYERS. ON THE PREVIOUS LEGS OF THE FLTS BOTH DESTS WERE CLR, WITH LOW OVCST LAYERS FROM 5-10 MI IN BTWN. PART OF WHAT LED TO THIS INCIDENT WAS MY DESIRE TO COMPLETE THE FLT. I AM A COMMERCIAL HELI STUDENT, THIS WAS MY LAST XCOUNTRY REQUIREMENT BEFORE MY CHKRIDE. I HAD BEEN TRYING TO MAKE THIS FLT FOR 6 WKS BUT HAD BEEN UNABLE TO DUE TO WX. THIS ALSO SHOWED ME THAT JUST LISTENING TO FORECAST SURFACE OBSERVATIONS CAN LEAD A PLT TO DRAW FALSE PICTURES OF THE WX PICTURE.

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.