Pilot of an small aircraft private aircraft inadvertently entered the control zone VFR when IMC exis...

Attributes
ACN	226252
Time
Date	199211
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : eko
State Reference	NV
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 1500
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zlc
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Retractable Gear
Flight Phase	descent : approach landing other
Flight Plan	VFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Light Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 5000
ASRS Report	226252
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : weather inflight encounter : vfr in imc non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I was flying an small aircraft from reno to elko, nv, for business. The WX was VFR along the entire trip until directly over the elko airport. There was a light snow storm in progress over the field, which brought the WX to IFR. I could see the airport from at least 3 mi and I made a straight-in to runway 5. I tuned in the CTAF at 15 mi. I made a '7 mi,' '5 mi,' and 'final call' on unicom. I also made a 'clearing the active' call. At about my 5 mi call, I heard flight make their initial call that they were commencing the lda approach. After I cleared the runway I heard their 5 mi call. I talked to the pilot and we both agreed there was no conflict, but he was apprehensive having a VFR aircraft operating in the control zone during IFR reported conditions. I agree completely. I was in error flying into the control zone that was reporting IFR. I also was in error not receiving the elko WX before my landing so that I would have known they were reporting IFR. I feel complacency on my part caused the error.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF AN SMA PRIVATE ACFT INADVERTENTLY ENTERED THE CTL ZONE VFR WHEN IMC EXISTED.

Narrative: I WAS FLYING AN SMA FROM RENO TO ELKO, NV, FOR BUSINESS. THE WX WAS VFR ALONG THE ENTIRE TRIP UNTIL DIRECTLY OVER THE ELKO ARPT. THERE WAS A LIGHT SNOW STORM IN PROGRESS OVER THE FIELD, WHICH BROUGHT THE WX TO IFR. I COULD SEE THE ARPT FROM AT LEAST 3 MI AND I MADE A STRAIGHT-IN TO RWY 5. I TUNED IN THE CTAF AT 15 MI. I MADE A '7 MI,' '5 MI,' AND 'FINAL CALL' ON UNICOM. I ALSO MADE A 'CLRING THE ACTIVE' CALL. AT ABOUT MY 5 MI CALL, I HEARD FLT MAKE THEIR INITIAL CALL THAT THEY WERE COMMENCING THE LDA APCH. AFTER I CLRED THE RWY I HEARD THEIR 5 MI CALL. I TALKED TO THE PLT AND WE BOTH AGREED THERE WAS NO CONFLICT, BUT HE WAS APPREHENSIVE HAVING A VFR ACFT OPERATING IN THE CTL ZONE DURING IFR RPTED CONDITIONS. I AGREE COMPLETELY. I WAS IN ERROR FLYING INTO THE CTL ZONE THAT WAS RPTING IFR. I ALSO WAS IN ERROR NOT RECEIVING THE ELKO WX BEFORE MY LNDG SO THAT I WOULD HAVE KNOWN THEY WERE RPTING IFR. I FEEL COMPLACENCY ON MY PART CAUSED THE ERROR.

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.

Pilot of an small aircraft private aircraft inadvertently entered the control zone VFR when IMC existed.