VFR in IMC navigation error.

Attributes
ACN	313013
Time
Date	199508
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : jxn airport : 3np
State Reference	MI
Altitude	msl bound lower : 5500 msl bound upper : 5500
Environment
Flight Conditions	Marginal
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : lan
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise other descent other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 1580 flight time type : 10
ASRS Report	313013
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : vfr in imc inflight encounter : weather non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : became reoriented flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Carrying skydivers from 3NP (napoleon, mi) and this being the fourth load, cloud conditions 4500 ft scattered, 5500 ft broken visibility 6 mi tops 7000 ft clear above, unlimited visibility. On climb out, in order to maintain VFR cloud separation, we flew east of field, contacted lan approach on 127.30. On top and still climbing and maintaining ground contact through breaks in cloud we continued flying further east of field. Lansing approach apparently does not control airspace too far east of field (3NP), for they handed us over to zle. Once at altitude of 11000 ft MSL, we could not locate the airport through the breaks in the cloud because we were about 10 mi east of where we thought we were. Unable to let jumpers out, I decided to cancel jump, and asked zle if we could go back to lansing approach frequency and was told ok. Still thinking that I was, over field (3NP), upon calling lan approach, I told them unable to find airport through breaks in cloud and that we were descending with jumpers still on board. Lan approach asked if I was instrument equipped and if I needed a clearance, I told them we were instrument equipped but declined the clearance, because I thought we would be able to maintain cloud clearance through the descent. Also I was not instrument current and didn't want lan approach to put me in the cloud. We started through a large break in the broken layer at about 6200 ft MSL and got down between layers but were unable to avoid cloud. We entered the scattered layer at about 5500 ft MSL and broke out about 30 seconds later at 4700 ft MSL in a large opening in the scattered layer, we were 8 mi east of field (3NP). There were no conflicts with other traffic. I should not have climbed above a broken layer without instrument currency. So this does not happen to me again I plan on getting myself instrument current and staying that way. Always getting a clearance before descending below a broken layer of clouds and use my navigational equipment so as to always know my exact position.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: VFR IN IMC NAV ERROR.

Narrative: CARRYING SKYDIVERS FROM 3NP (NAPOLEON, MI) AND THIS BEING THE FOURTH LOAD, CLOUD CONDITIONS 4500 FT SCATTERED, 5500 FT BROKEN VISIBILITY 6 MI TOPS 7000 FT CLR ABOVE, UNLIMITED VISIBILITY. ON CLBOUT, IN ORDER TO MAINTAIN VFR CLOUD SEPARATION, WE FLEW E OF FIELD, CONTACTED LAN APCH ON 127.30. ON TOP AND STILL CLBING AND MAINTAINING GND CONTACT THROUGH BREAKS IN CLOUD WE CONTINUED FLYING FURTHER E OF FIELD. LANSING APCH APPARENTLY DOES NOT CTL AIRSPACE TOO FAR E OF FIELD (3NP), FOR THEY HANDED US OVER TO ZLE. ONCE AT ALT OF 11000 FT MSL, WE COULD NOT LOCATE THE ARPT THROUGH THE BREAKS IN THE CLOUD BECAUSE WE WERE ABOUT 10 MI E OF WHERE WE THOUGHT WE WERE. UNABLE TO LET JUMPERS OUT, I DECIDED TO CANCEL JUMP, AND ASKED ZLE IF WE COULD GO BACK TO LANSING APCH FREQ AND WAS TOLD OK. STILL THINKING THAT I WAS, OVER FIELD (3NP), UPON CALLING LAN APCH, I TOLD THEM UNABLE TO FIND ARPT THROUGH BREAKS IN CLOUD AND THAT WE WERE DSNDING WITH JUMPERS STILL ON BOARD. LAN APCH ASKED IF I WAS INST EQUIPPED AND IF I NEEDED A CLRNC, I TOLD THEM WE WERE INST EQUIPPED BUT DECLINED THE CLRNC, BECAUSE I THOUGHT WE WOULD BE ABLE TO MAINTAIN CLOUD CLRNC THROUGH THE DSCNT. ALSO I WAS NOT INST CURRENT AND DIDN'T WANT LAN APCH TO PUT ME IN THE CLOUD. WE STARTED THROUGH A LARGE BREAK IN THE BROKEN LAYER AT ABOUT 6200 FT MSL AND GOT DOWN BTWN LAYERS BUT WERE UNABLE TO AVOID CLOUD. WE ENTERED THE SCATTERED LAYER AT ABOUT 5500 FT MSL AND BROKE OUT ABOUT 30 SECONDS LATER AT 4700 FT MSL IN A LARGE OPENING IN THE SCATTERED LAYER, WE WERE 8 MI E OF FIELD (3NP). THERE WERE NO CONFLICTS WITH OTHER TFC. I SHOULD NOT HAVE CLBED ABOVE A BROKEN LAYER WITHOUT INST CURRENCY. SO THIS DOES NOT HAPPEN TO ME AGAIN I PLAN ON GETTING MYSELF INST CURRENT AND STAYING THAT WAY. ALWAYS GETTING A CLRNC BEFORE DSNDING BELOW A BROKEN LAYER OF CLOUDS AND USE MY NAVIGATIONAL EQUIP SO AS TO ALWAYS KNOW MY EXACT POS.

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.