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An small aircraft pilot, at an unfamiliar field, took off at night in VMC. He did not follow the IFR departure procedures and scared himself with the terrain and a low performance aircraft.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 221379 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199209 |
| Day | Fri |
| Local Time Of Day | 1801 To 2400 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : roa |
| State Reference | VA |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 2100 msl bound upper : 5000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Night |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : roa tower : roa |
| Operator | general aviation : personal |
| Make Model Name | Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear |
| Flight Phase | climbout : initial climbout : takeoff climbout : intermediate altitude |
| Route In Use | departure other |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | Other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : private pilot : instrument |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 30 flight time total : 450 flight time type : 350 |
| ASRS Report | 221379 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | altitude deviation : undershoot other anomaly other other spatial deviation other spatial deviation |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : unable |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
Departed on IFR flight plan at night but in VMC. The airport had a departure procedure for IFR conditions. I departed and did not follow the departure procedure because I felt I could clear the obstacles visually. Once airborne, I found it difficult to see the terrain ahead of me. I ended up climbing along the outline of a highway to be sure I avoided the mountains nearby. I took off at 2100 ft and could not get radar control until 5000 ft. I did not come less than 1000 ft above the terrain but I was concerned. I was pressed for time and felt this would be faster. It represented an unnecessary risk which I should have taken. The solution is to follow all procedures and avoid short cuts especially where safety is concerned.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: AN SMA PLT, AT AN UNFAMILIAR FIELD, TOOK OFF AT NIGHT IN VMC. HE DID NOT FOLLOW THE IFR DEP PROCS AND SCARED HIMSELF WITH THE TERRAIN AND A LOW PERFORMANCE ACFT.
Narrative: DEPARTED ON IFR FLT PLAN AT NIGHT BUT IN VMC. THE ARPT HAD A DEP PROC FOR IFR CONDITIONS. I DEPARTED AND DID NOT FOLLOW THE DEP PROC BECAUSE I FELT I COULD CLR THE OBSTACLES VISUALLY. ONCE AIRBORNE, I FOUND IT DIFFICULT TO SEE THE TERRAIN AHEAD OF ME. I ENDED UP CLBING ALONG THE OUTLINE OF A HWY TO BE SURE I AVOIDED THE MOUNTAINS NEARBY. I TOOK OFF AT 2100 FT AND COULD NOT GET RADAR CTL UNTIL 5000 FT. I DID NOT COME LESS THAN 1000 FT ABOVE THE TERRAIN BUT I WAS CONCERNED. I WAS PRESSED FOR TIME AND FELT THIS WOULD BE FASTER. IT REPRESENTED AN UNNECESSARY RISK WHICH I SHOULD HAVE TAKEN. THE SOLUTION IS TO FOLLOW ALL PROCS AND AVOID SHORT CUTS ESPECIALLY WHERE SAFETY IS CONCERNED.
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.