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Small aircraft pilot on VFR flight encounters 'wispy cloud.' attempting to circumnavigate finds himself inside of cloud mass. Requests IFR clearance. Breaks out with ice on windshield.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 215257 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199207 |
| Day | Mon |
| Local Time Of Day | 1801 To 2400 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : jfk |
| State Reference | NY |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 9500 msl bound upper : 9500 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | Mixed |
| Light | Night |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : n90 artcc : zny |
| Operator | common carrier : air taxi |
| Make Model Name | Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 2 Eng, Retractable Gear |
| Flight Phase | cruise other |
| Flight Plan | None |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air taxi |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : commercial pilot : instrument |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 80 flight time total : 6422 flight time type : 2100 |
| ASRS Report | 215257 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : approach |
| Qualification | controller : radar |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | inflight encounter : weather inflight encounter : vfr in imc non adherence : far |
| Independent Detector | other other : unspecified cockpit |
| Resolutory Action | controller : issued new clearance |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
Was flying at 9500 ft phl direct mvy and encountered a cloud. It was a nice VFR night overall and I saw what I thought was a small wispy cloud ahead and started to fly around it and then found myself inside and thought I would break out on the other side within a moment or 2. As it turned out it was a much larger cloud mass than anticipated. I tried to climb out of it and requested an IFR clearance. I was receiving radar advisories at the time. When I finally broke out I noticed mixed ice on the windshield. I hadn't bothered to check for ice because I'd never experienced icing in july in the northeast. I later was cleared to 7000 ft and the ice melted. In retrospect it was late and I was a little tired I suppose and should have deviated away from the cloud and/or made a 180 degree turn to maintain VFR.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: SMA PLT ON VFR FLT ENCOUNTERS 'WISPY CLOUD.' ATTEMPTING TO CIRCUMNAVIGATE FINDS HIMSELF INSIDE OF CLOUD MASS. REQUESTS IFR CLRNC. BREAKS OUT WITH ICE ON WINDSHIELD.
Narrative: WAS FLYING AT 9500 FT PHL DIRECT MVY AND ENCOUNTERED A CLOUD. IT WAS A NICE VFR NIGHT OVERALL AND I SAW WHAT I THOUGHT WAS A SMALL WISPY CLOUD AHEAD AND STARTED TO FLY AROUND IT AND THEN FOUND MYSELF INSIDE AND THOUGHT I WOULD BREAK OUT ON THE OTHER SIDE WITHIN A MOMENT OR 2. AS IT TURNED OUT IT WAS A MUCH LARGER CLOUD MASS THAN ANTICIPATED. I TRIED TO CLB OUT OF IT AND REQUESTED AN IFR CLRNC. I WAS RECEIVING RADAR ADVISORIES AT THE TIME. WHEN I FINALLY BROKE OUT I NOTICED MIXED ICE ON THE WINDSHIELD. I HADN'T BOTHERED TO CHK FOR ICE BECAUSE I'D NEVER EXPERIENCED ICING IN JULY IN THE NE. I LATER WAS CLRED TO 7000 FT AND THE ICE MELTED. IN RETROSPECT IT WAS LATE AND I WAS A LITTLE TIRED I SUPPOSE AND SHOULD HAVE DEVIATED AWAY FROM THE CLOUD AND/OR MADE A 180 DEG TURN TO MAINTAIN VFR.
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.