Flight of 3 C414's over the atlantic bucking stronger than forecast head winds have to descend witho...

Attributes
ACN	352488
Time
Date	199611
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : kef
State Reference	FO
Altitude	msl bound lower : 8000 msl bound upper : 8000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : bird
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Chancellor 414A & C414
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : atlantic
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Chancellor 414A & C414
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : atlantic
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 31 flight time total : 9000 flight time type : 490
ASRS Report	352488
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude inflight encounter : weather inflight encounter other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : exited adverse environment flight crew : declared emergency
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Weather

Narrative:

On nov/sun/96, 2 other crews and I received a WX briefing and winds aloft charts and forecast for reykjavik, iceland. The winds aloft charts and forecast were far off the 50 and 1 area of 60 KTS that would have given me a ground speed of 115-125 KTS. After passing embla intersection on the north atlantic track I had no VHF radio contact with center. They had informed me and the other aircraft to make reports through other aircraft. At 63W 30W neither aircraft had radio contact with center. After another 80 mi with ground speeds 80-88 KTS it required us to make a decision either run out of fuel, turn around into IFR WX condition or descend to make favorable wind conditions. The winds were 35-45 KTS stronger than forecast and at times maybe higher. The other aircraft descended to a lower altitude and reported better wind conditions. If I did not have the equipment on the aircraft to tell me my ground speed and progress I would have run out of fuel before getting to my destination. The situation was unsafe because the wind reports and forecast were wrong that required me to descend or return to iceland without a clearance. I descended in VFR conditions and after several attempts and some time I was able to relay the change to icelandic control through an airplane and another C414.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLT OF 3 C414'S OVER THE ATLANTIC BUCKING STRONGER THAN FORECAST HEAD WINDS HAVE TO DSND WITHOUT CLRNC TO AN ALT WITH MORE FAVORABLE WINDS IN ORDER TO HAVE ENOUGH FUEL TO MAKE IT TO SHORE.

Narrative: ON NOV/SUN/96, 2 OTHER CREWS AND I RECEIVED A WX BRIEFING AND WINDS ALOFT CHARTS AND FORECAST FOR REYKJAVIK, ICELAND. THE WINDS ALOFT CHARTS AND FORECAST WERE FAR OFF THE 50 AND 1 AREA OF 60 KTS THAT WOULD HAVE GIVEN ME A GND SPD OF 115-125 KTS. AFTER PASSING EMBLA INTXN ON THE N ATLANTIC TRACK I HAD NO VHF RADIO CONTACT WITH CTR. THEY HAD INFORMED ME AND THE OTHER ACFT TO MAKE RPTS THROUGH OTHER ACFT. AT 63W 30W NEITHER ACFT HAD RADIO CONTACT WITH CTR. AFTER ANOTHER 80 MI WITH GND SPDS 80-88 KTS IT REQUIRED US TO MAKE A DECISION EITHER RUN OUT OF FUEL, TURN AROUND INTO IFR WX CONDITION OR DSND TO MAKE FAVORABLE WIND CONDITIONS. THE WINDS WERE 35-45 KTS STRONGER THAN FORECAST AND AT TIMES MAYBE HIGHER. THE OTHER ACFT DSNDED TO A LOWER ALT AND RPTED BETTER WIND CONDITIONS. IF I DID NOT HAVE THE EQUIP ON THE ACFT TO TELL ME MY GND SPD AND PROGRESS I WOULD HAVE RUN OUT OF FUEL BEFORE GETTING TO MY DEST. THE SIT WAS UNSAFE BECAUSE THE WIND RPTS AND FORECAST WERE WRONG THAT REQUIRED ME TO DSND OR RETURN TO ICELAND WITHOUT A CLRNC. I DSNDED IN VFR CONDITIONS AND AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS AND SOME TIME I WAS ABLE TO RELAY THE CHANGE TO ICELANDIC CTL THROUGH AN AIRPLANE AND ANOTHER C414.

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.

Flight of 3 C414's over the atlantic bucking stronger than forecast head winds have to descend without clearance to an altitude with more favorable winds in order to have enough fuel to make it to shore.