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Private pilot of an experimental home built aircraft entered class C airspace and operated in IMC without clearance or an instrument rating.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 302176 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199504 |
| Day | Sat |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : aus airport : 3r3 |
| State Reference | TX |
| Altitude | agl bound lower : 1000 agl bound upper : 2000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | Marginal |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : aus artcc : zma |
| Operator | general aviation : personal |
| Make Model Name | Experimental |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Flight Phase | climbout : intermediate altitude |
| Flight Plan | None |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | Other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : private |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 50 flight time total : 600 flight time type : 130 |
| ASRS Report | 302176 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | inflight encounter : vfr in imc inflight encounter : weather non adherence : far other anomaly other other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : anomaly accepted |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Weather |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
The event occurred while departing austin executive airport which is located under the class C airspace surrounding austin airport. I departed the airport with what I believed was 1000 ft ceilings and improving conditions. Route of departure was due west. Within 2 mins following liftoff, I found myself descending to avoid the lowering cloud deck. At the same time, the ground in the area was rising slightly. Not feeling comfortable in making a turn, I proceeded forward. I immediately saw what appeared to be a break in the overcast and made a very fast decision to attempt to proceed up through it. The autoplt (wings leveler) was on. I did find myself in IFR conditions for approximately 20 seconds before breaking out on top at approximately 2000 ft AGL. I may have violated the class C airspace. A misunderstanding of information received from a WX briefer 2 hours previously helped contribute to my poor judgement regarding an appropriate takeoff time. Regardless, I still should have been able to assess the situation better.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: PVT PLT OF AN EXPERIMENTAL HOME BUILT ACFT ENTERED CLASS C AIRSPACE AND OPERATED IN IMC WITHOUT CLRNC OR AN INST RATING.
Narrative: THE EVENT OCCURRED WHILE DEPARTING AUSTIN EXECUTIVE ARPT WHICH IS LOCATED UNDER THE CLASS C AIRSPACE SURROUNDING AUSTIN ARPT. I DEPARTED THE ARPT WITH WHAT I BELIEVED WAS 1000 FT CEILINGS AND IMPROVING CONDITIONS. RTE OF DEP WAS DUE W. WITHIN 2 MINS FOLLOWING LIFTOFF, I FOUND MYSELF DSNDING TO AVOID THE LOWERING CLOUD DECK. AT THE SAME TIME, THE GND IN THE AREA WAS RISING SLIGHTLY. NOT FEELING COMFORTABLE IN MAKING A TURN, I PROCEEDED FORWARD. I IMMEDIATELY SAW WHAT APPEARED TO BE A BREAK IN THE OVCST AND MADE A VERY FAST DECISION TO ATTEMPT TO PROCEED UP THROUGH IT. THE AUTOPLT (WINGS LEVELER) WAS ON. I DID FIND MYSELF IN IFR CONDITIONS FOR APPROX 20 SECONDS BEFORE BREAKING OUT ON TOP AT APPROX 2000 FT AGL. I MAY HAVE VIOLATED THE CLASS C AIRSPACE. A MISUNDERSTANDING OF INFO RECEIVED FROM A WX BRIEFER 2 HRS PREVIOUSLY HELPED CONTRIBUTE TO MY POOR JUDGEMENT REGARDING AN APPROPRIATE TKOF TIME. REGARDLESS, I STILL SHOULD HAVE BEEN ABLE TO ASSESS THE SIT BETTER.
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.