<< >> NASA ASRS Report 343631, August 1996

AA5B on a VFR flight at 7500 ft, descended to avoid convective clouds and remain VFR. Deviating from track and descending probably entered class C airspace bgm. Lost communication with roc approach controller.

Attributes
ACN	343631
Time
Date	199608
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : bgm
State Reference	NY
Altitude	msl bound lower : 7500 msl bound upper : 7500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : roc
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Grumman American Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	other personnel other
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 8
ASRS Report	343631
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 40 flight time total : 1250 flight time type : 425
ASRS Report	343630
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : weather non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Cross country flight conducted VFR with several irregular layers of convective cumulus. Receiving advisories from buf approach then ZOB then roc approach. Lost radio contact as we flew further away from roc. We could hear them, but our calls weren't answered. We became uncertain as to whether we were actually being observed by ATC. We flew into an area in which we had to either descend or backtrack in order to remain VMC -- elected to turn around, but found we had to descend anyway. Spotting the airport at vestal, we became concerned that we might have clipped the binghampton TRSA without being in 2-WAY radio contact. Supplemental information from acn 343630: remaining clear of clouds required maneuvering and because of the clouds it was difficult to keep ground contact at all times in every direction. There was convective activity which required us deviating from a straight course.

Related reports:

• Crj-900 flight crew reported encountering convective activit...
• A319 flight crew experiences loss of communication due to st...
• Unable to communication with tokyo in a timely fashion; B747...
• Crew was approaching convective WX ahead. At the same time c...

	Enter your search terms Submit search form
	Web www.37000feet.com

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AA5B ON A VFR FLT AT 7500 FT, DSNDED TO AVOID CONVECTIVE CLOUDS AND REMAIN VFR. DEVIATING FROM TRACK AND DSNDING PROBABLY ENTERED CLASS C AIRSPACE BGM. LOST COM WITH ROC APCH CTLR.

Narrative: XCOUNTRY FLT CONDUCTED VFR WITH SEVERAL IRREGULAR LAYERS OF CONVECTIVE CUMULUS. RECEIVING ADVISORIES FROM BUF APCH THEN ZOB THEN ROC APCH. LOST RADIO CONTACT AS WE FLEW FURTHER AWAY FROM ROC. WE COULD HEAR THEM, BUT OUR CALLS WEREN'T ANSWERED. WE BECAME UNCERTAIN AS TO WHETHER WE WERE ACTUALLY BEING OBSERVED BY ATC. WE FLEW INTO AN AREA IN WHICH WE HAD TO EITHER DSND OR BACKTRACK IN ORDER TO REMAIN VMC -- ELECTED TO TURN AROUND, BUT FOUND WE HAD TO DSND ANYWAY. SPOTTING THE ARPT AT VESTAL, WE BECAME CONCERNED THAT WE MIGHT HAVE CLIPPED THE BINGHAMPTON TRSA WITHOUT BEING IN 2-WAY RADIO CONTACT. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 343630: REMAINING CLR OF CLOUDS REQUIRED MANEUVERING AND BECAUSE OF THE CLOUDS IT WAS DIFFICULT TO KEEP GND CONTACT AT ALL TIMES IN EVERY DIRECTION. THERE WAS CONVECTIVE ACTIVITY WHICH REQUIRED US DEVIATING FROM A STRAIGHT COURSE.

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.