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37000 Feet | Browse and search NASA's Aviation Safety Reporting System |
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The pilot decided to climb on top of the clouds to gain orientation relative to the mountains. The WX closed in, trapping him on top and running low on fuel. His passenger saw a hole through which he descended for a precautionary off airport landing to wait until the WX passed.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 326949 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199601 |
| Day | Sun |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : zan |
| State Reference | AK |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 9500 msl bound upper : 9500 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | Marginal |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Operator | common carrier : air taxi |
| Make Model Name | Helicopter |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Flight Phase | cruise other |
| Flight Plan | VFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air taxi |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : instrument pilot : atp pilot : commercial |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 85 flight time total : 15000 flight time type : 2000 |
| ASRS Report | 326949 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | Other |
| Function | observation : passenger |
| Qualification | other other : other |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | inflight encounter : vfr in imc other anomaly other other spatial deviation |
| Independent Detector | other other : unspecified cockpit |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : declared emergency other |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Weather |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
Inbound merrill field, anchorage, with merrill reporting 7800 ft broken. Cruising at 9500 ft and about 10 mins out noticed the conditions getting worse, putting me to the point of violating 135.211, 135.181. I climbed to 12500 ft for a short time to check the mountains ahead when my passenger noticed an open area. I slowly descended to 9500 ft and could see areas of ground below that looked like mt mackenzie. I slowly started into the opening and it became about a mi inside extending to the north. I started down and decided I'd better get through as fast as possible. I increased the rate of descent to 2000 FPM turning to the north then back to 060 degrees until we were through the opening. I continued on down, landing in a field to the nnw before continuing to merrill field. I will never go on top again, for this taught me many lessons at once. It proves you're never too old to learn. I can't tell you how sorry I am that this happened.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: THE PLT DECIDED TO CLB ON TOP OF THE CLOUDS TO GAIN ORIENTATION RELATIVE TO THE MOUNTAINS. THE WX CLOSED IN, TRAPPING HIM ON TOP AND RUNNING LOW ON FUEL. HIS PAX SAW A HOLE THROUGH WHICH HE DSNDED FOR A PRECAUTIONARY OFF ARPT LNDG TO WAIT UNTIL THE WX PASSED.
Narrative: INBOUND MERRILL FIELD, ANCHORAGE, WITH MERRILL RPTING 7800 FT BROKEN. CRUISING AT 9500 FT AND ABOUT 10 MINS OUT NOTICED THE CONDITIONS GETTING WORSE, PUTTING ME TO THE POINT OF VIOLATING 135.211, 135.181. I CLBED TO 12500 FT FOR A SHORT TIME TO CHK THE MOUNTAINS AHEAD WHEN MY PAX NOTICED AN OPEN AREA. I SLOWLY DSNDED TO 9500 FT AND COULD SEE AREAS OF GND BELOW THAT LOOKED LIKE MT MACKENZIE. I SLOWLY STARTED INTO THE OPENING AND IT BECAME ABOUT A MI INSIDE EXTENDING TO THE N. I STARTED DOWN AND DECIDED I'D BETTER GET THROUGH AS FAST AS POSSIBLE. I INCREASED THE RATE OF DSCNT TO 2000 FPM TURNING TO THE N THEN BACK TO 060 DEGS UNTIL WE WERE THROUGH THE OPENING. I CONTINUED ON DOWN, LNDG IN A FIELD TO THE NNW BEFORE CONTINUING TO MERRILL FIELD. I WILL NEVER GO ON TOP AGAIN, FOR THIS TAUGHT ME MANY LESSONS AT ONCE. IT PROVES YOU'RE NEVER TOO OLD TO LEARN. I CAN'T TELL YOU HOW SORRY I AM THAT THIS 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.