An small aircraft deviated from its IFR altitude at night. There was a toxic plume in the area, coin...

Attributes
ACN	223298
Time
Date	199210
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : toa
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3000 msl bound upper : 3200
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : sna
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot instruction : instructor
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : atp pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 15 flight time total : 4800 flight time type : 30
ASRS Report	223298
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot instruction : trainee
Qualification	pilot : private
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude inflight encounter other other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

My instrument student deviated altitude (abruptly) so quickly that I was unable to instantly correct it, but I don't believe we deviated more than 200 ft from assigned altitude. Also, about this time, the carson refinery explosion/fire occurred, releasing a plume of toxic hydrogen sulfide, which rose to 3500 MSL and drifted on about a 135 degree heading. Coast approach attempted to vector us through the stuff (they had no way of knowing about this at the time). On the drive home, I learned about the sulfide presence and telephoned in a PIREP to hawthorne FSS. Suggestion: have controllers be aware. Have them solicit PIREPS of possible toxic smoke resulting from large fires, and rerte traffic as necessary.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN SMA DEVIATED FROM ITS IFR ALT AT NIGHT. THERE WAS A TOXIC PLUME IN THE AREA, COINCIDENTALLY.

Narrative: MY INST STUDENT DEVIATED ALT (ABRUPTLY) SO QUICKLY THAT I WAS UNABLE TO INSTANTLY CORRECT IT, BUT I DON'T BELIEVE WE DEVIATED MORE THAN 200 FT FROM ASSIGNED ALT. ALSO, ABOUT THIS TIME, THE CARSON REFINERY EXPLOSION/FIRE OCCURRED, RELEASING A PLUME OF TOXIC HYDROGEN SULFIDE, WHICH ROSE TO 3500 MSL AND DRIFTED ON ABOUT A 135 DEG HDG. COAST APCH ATTEMPTED TO VECTOR US THROUGH THE STUFF (THEY HAD NO WAY OF KNOWING ABOUT THIS AT THE TIME). ON THE DRIVE HOME, I LEARNED ABOUT THE SULFIDE PRESENCE AND TELEPHONED IN A PIREP TO HAWTHORNE FSS. SUGGESTION: HAVE CTLRS BE AWARE. HAVE THEM SOLICIT PIREPS OF POSSIBLE TOXIC SMOKE RESULTING FROM LARGE FIRES, AND RERTE TFC AS NECESSARY.

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.

An small aircraft deviated from its IFR altitude at night. There was a toxic plume in the area, coincidentally.