Small aircraft X non adherence to ATC clearance. Unauthorized entry into IMC. Pilot deviation.

Attributes
ACN	250906
Time
Date	199309
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : cae
State Reference	SC
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3300 msl bound upper : 3300
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : cae tower : cae
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Retractable Gear
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	approach : svfr
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : departure
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller radar : 4 flight time total : 250
ASRS Report	250906
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : vfr in imc non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	faa : investigated
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Intra Facility Coordination Failure Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Small aircraft X received a SVFR clearance to depart the arsa northeast. Tower controllers saw the aircraft enter the clouds (ceiling measured 400 ft broken 1500 ft overcast), and advised the supervisor. Departure controller, after several requests for flight condition reports, got the aircraft pilot to admit he was in IFR conditions. The supervisor was going to file a pilot deviation report on the pilot with whom we have had problems in the past (ignoring ATC, entry into arsa, land/takeoff without clearance), but when the tapes were pulled, approach was heard telling a joke to local controller over the landline. Our local management will not file if the tape is not absolutely 'clean' so this pilot gets off. I think it is disgraceful that a conversation 5 mins before this person called us, which had nothing to do with the incident, should be a reason not to file.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA X NON ADHERENCE TO ATC CLRNC. UNAUTH ENTRY INTO IMC. PLTDEV.

Narrative: SMA X RECEIVED A SVFR CLRNC TO DEPART THE ARSA NE. TWR CTLRS SAW THE ACFT ENTER THE CLOUDS (CEILING MEASURED 400 FT BROKEN 1500 FT OVCST), AND ADVISED THE SUPVR. DEP CTLR, AFTER SEVERAL REQUESTS FOR FLT CONDITION RPTS, GOT THE ACFT PLT TO ADMIT HE WAS IN IFR CONDITIONS. THE SUPVR WAS GOING TO FILE A PLTDEV RPT ON THE PLT WITH WHOM WE HAVE HAD PROBS IN THE PAST (IGNORING ATC, ENTRY INTO ARSA, LAND/TKOF WITHOUT CLRNC), BUT WHEN THE TAPES WERE PULLED, APCH WAS HEARD TELLING A JOKE TO LCL CTLR OVER THE LANDLINE. OUR LCL MGMNT WILL NOT FILE IF THE TAPE IS NOT ABSOLUTELY 'CLEAN' SO THIS PLT GETS OFF. I THINK IT IS DISGRACEFUL THAT A CONVERSATION 5 MINS BEFORE THIS PERSON CALLED US, WHICH HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH THE INCIDENT, SHOULD BE A REASON NOT TO FILE.

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.