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Low time CFI goes IMC in VFR flight and experiences an unauthorized penetration of airspace. Proximity of air traffic area.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 210936 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199205 |
| Day | Tue |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : far |
| State Reference | ND |
| Altitude | agl bound lower : 500 agl bound upper : 600 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | Marginal |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tower : far |
| Operator | general aviation : instructional |
| Make Model Name | Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear |
| Flight Phase | cruise other cruise other |
| Route In Use | enroute : direct |
| Flight Plan | None |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | Other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : cfi pilot : commercial pilot : instrument |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 40 flight time total : 390 flight time type : 25 |
| ASRS Report | 210936 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | inflight encounter : vfr in imc 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:
Departed battle lake municipal VFR for grand forks. WX en route 3000-10000 ft scattered/overcast/broken. Turbulence and rainshowers between far and gfk. I chose to fly VFR to avoid rain shafts. In and out of rainshowers at 500-800 AGL in what I believed to be town of felton, 16 NM northeast of fargo, turned due west to intercept I-29 and follow it to gfk. Exited rainshower to see far at 10 O'clock position and very close. Turned north to get away from area and then turned west again to intercept I-29. Confused averill with felton -- thought I was much farther north when I turned to the west. Only 2 hour sleep previous night due to WX delays on another flight. Inability to identify landmarks at low altitude, rain, featureless terrain. Did not want to file IFR due to fatigue and WX a difficulty in flying on instruments under such circumstances. Studied twin cities sectional after landing and determined possible airspace violation far air traffic area.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: LOW TIME CFI GOES IMC IN VFR FLT AND EXPERIENCES AN UNAUTHORIZED PENETRATION OF AIRSPACE. PROX OF ATA.
Narrative: DEPARTED BATTLE LAKE MUNICIPAL VFR FOR GRAND FORKS. WX ENRTE 3000-10000 FT SCATTERED/OVCST/BROKEN. TURB AND RAINSHOWERS BTWN FAR AND GFK. I CHOSE TO FLY VFR TO AVOID RAIN SHAFTS. IN AND OUT OF RAINSHOWERS AT 500-800 AGL IN WHAT I BELIEVED TO BE TOWN OF FELTON, 16 NM NE OF FARGO, TURNED DUE W TO INTERCEPT I-29 AND FOLLOW IT TO GFK. EXITED RAINSHOWER TO SEE FAR AT 10 O'CLOCK POS AND VERY CLOSE. TURNED N TO GET AWAY FROM AREA AND THEN TURNED W AGAIN TO INTERCEPT I-29. CONFUSED AVERILL WITH FELTON -- THOUGHT I WAS MUCH FARTHER N WHEN I TURNED TO THE W. ONLY 2 HR SLEEP PREVIOUS NIGHT DUE TO WX DELAYS ON ANOTHER FLT. INABILITY TO IDENT LANDMARKS AT LOW ALT, RAIN, FEATURELESS TERRAIN. DID NOT WANT TO FILE IFR DUE TO FATIGUE AND WX A DIFFICULTY IN FLYING ON INSTS UNDER SUCH CIRCUMSTANCES. STUDIED TWIN CITIES SECTIONAL AFTER LNDG AND DETERMINED POSSIBLE AIRSPACE VIOLATION FAR ATA.
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.