Pilot of an small aircraft sel operated under IFR without current VOR check as required by far 91 pt...

Attributes
ACN	304016
Time
Date	199502
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : hef
State Reference	VA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3000 msl bound upper : 3000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude cruise other descent other
Route In Use	enroute airway : zdc
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : atp pilot : instrument pilot : private pilot : student
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 6 flight time total : 3488 flight time type : 192
ASRS Report	304016
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I may have flown in actual IFR conditions without a valid VOR check. There was no record of a check prior to or after the flight. Subsequent VOR checks on the airplane have been done and the airplane checked within tolerances. Corrective action has been discussions with CFI's, rereading the procedures, and more vigilance. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter stated that since the VOR check record was missing from the aircraft, and he would not be (he thought) subject to the VOR check rule until entering the clouds, a VOR check would be done airborne which it was. Therefore, the check was made soon after reaching cruise altitude at 3000 ft, but not before entering IMC. He stated that the altitude shown on the reporting form was the airport elevation and not the altitude at which the incident happened.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF AN SMA SEL OPERATED UNDER IFR WITHOUT CURRENT VOR CHK AS REQUIRED BY FAR 91 PT 171 (A)(2).

Narrative: I MAY HAVE FLOWN IN ACTUAL IFR CONDITIONS WITHOUT A VALID VOR CHK. THERE WAS NO RECORD OF A CHK PRIOR TO OR AFTER THE FLT. SUBSEQUENT VOR CHKS ON THE AIRPLANE HAVE BEEN DONE AND THE AIRPLANE CHKED WITHIN TOLERANCES. CORRECTIVE ACTION HAS BEEN DISCUSSIONS WITH CFI'S, REREADING THE PROCS, AND MORE VIGILANCE. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATED THAT SINCE THE VOR CHK RECORD WAS MISSING FROM THE ACFT, AND HE WOULD NOT BE (HE THOUGHT) SUBJECT TO THE VOR CHK RULE UNTIL ENTERING THE CLOUDS, A VOR CHK WOULD BE DONE AIRBORNE WHICH IT WAS. THEREFORE, THE CHK WAS MADE SOON AFTER REACHING CRUISE ALT AT 3000 FT, BUT NOT BEFORE ENTERING IMC. HE STATED THAT THE ALT SHOWN ON THE RPTING FORM WAS THE ARPT ELEVATION AND NOT THE ALT AT WHICH THE INCIDENT HAPPENED.

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 sel operated under IFR without current VOR check as required by far 91 pt 171 (a)(2).