Unauthorized penetration of airspace in small aircraft's proximity of arsa.

Attributes
ACN	203439
Time
Date	199203
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : bdl
State Reference	CT
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3500 msl bound upper : 5500
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : bdl
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 22 flight time total : 990 flight time type : 970
ASRS Report	203439
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : vfr in imc inflight encounter : weather non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : exited penetrated airspace flight crew : exited adverse environment
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

En route from fdk to lwm, aircraft flew into unseen cloud cover. Immediately descended to 3500 ft, and remained clear of clouds thereafter. Ideally, the flight should have been IFR because part of it was in night darkness. But, flight service was reporting icing in cloud, and aircraft not equipped to de-ice. IFR would have put the aircraft into IMC conditions. Additional factor: there was a SIGMET current for moderate turbulence below 3500 ft.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: UNAUTHORIZED PENETRATION OF AIRSPACE IN SMA'S PROX OF ARSA.

Narrative: ENRTE FROM FDK TO LWM, ACFT FLEW INTO UNSEEN CLOUD COVER. IMMEDIATELY DSNDED TO 3500 FT, AND REMAINED CLR OF CLOUDS THEREAFTER. IDEALLY, THE FLT SHOULD HAVE BEEN IFR BECAUSE PART OF IT WAS IN NIGHT DARKNESS. BUT, FLT SVC WAS RPTING ICING IN CLOUD, AND ACFT NOT EQUIPPED TO DE-ICE. IFR WOULD HAVE PUT THE ACFT INTO IMC CONDITIONS. ADDITIONAL FACTOR: THERE WAS A SIGMET CURRENT FOR MODERATE TURB BELOW 3500 FT.

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.