Commercial instrument rated pilot of a C150, on a VFR flight, encountered WX and became IMC. He subs...

Attributes
ACN	353014
Time
Date	199611
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : msn airport : lnr
State Reference	WI
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2000 msl bound upper : 2000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Cessna 150
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute airway : msn
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	other other : other pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 12 flight time total : 1000 flight time type : 200
ASRS Report	353014
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : weather inflight encounter : vfr in imc non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

On nov/fri/96 I flew my recently acquired C150 to msn from my home base at lnr to have it evaluated for replacement radios and transponder. Green bay AFSS reported no airmets or sigmets, VFR with no recommendation against VFR. No problem on first leg of flight, except actual WX was marginal VFR for ceilings and visibility with snow squalls in the area. On the return flight I encountered snow squalls and greatly reduced ceiling and visibility. I asked departure for an instrument clearance to lnr, which I was immediately given. The flight of approximately 40 NM was completed without incident. Tops were about 4000 ft, ice on the climb or descent, and ceilings at lnr were about 2500 ft. I had current charts and approach plates. The problem was that neither I nor the aircraft were current for IFR, with neither the 30 day VOR check nor the 24 month pitot static and altimeter checks current. I was a few months out of IFR currency. In my rush to deal with the IMC encounter, my first reaction was to ask for IFR, knowing that the IMC was only partly along my route. I did not consider currency regulations until I was cleared under IFR and in IMC.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: COMMERCIAL INST RATED PLT OF A C150, ON A VFR FLT, ENCOUNTERED WX AND BECAME IMC. HE SUBSEQUENTLY OBTAINED AN IFR CLRNC WHEN HE WAS NOT IFR CURRENT OR THE ACFT EQUIP TESTED AND INSPECTED WITHIN THE APPROPRIATED TIME LIMITS FOR IFR FLT.

Narrative: ON NOV/FRI/96 I FLEW MY RECENTLY ACQUIRED C150 TO MSN FROM MY HOME BASE AT LNR TO HAVE IT EVALUATED FOR REPLACEMENT RADIOS AND XPONDER. GREEN BAY AFSS RPTED NO AIRMETS OR SIGMETS, VFR WITH NO RECOMMENDATION AGAINST VFR. NO PROB ON FIRST LEG OF FLT, EXCEPT ACTUAL WX WAS MARGINAL VFR FOR CEILINGS AND VISIBILITY WITH SNOW SQUALLS IN THE AREA. ON THE RETURN FLT I ENCOUNTERED SNOW SQUALLS AND GREATLY REDUCED CEILING AND VISIBILITY. I ASKED DEP FOR AN INST CLRNC TO LNR, WHICH I WAS IMMEDIATELY GIVEN. THE FLT OF APPROX 40 NM WAS COMPLETED WITHOUT INCIDENT. TOPS WERE ABOUT 4000 FT, ICE ON THE CLB OR DSCNT, AND CEILINGS AT LNR WERE ABOUT 2500 FT. I HAD CURRENT CHARTS AND APCH PLATES. THE PROB WAS THAT NEITHER I NOR THE ACFT WERE CURRENT FOR IFR, WITH NEITHER THE 30 DAY VOR CHK NOR THE 24 MONTH PITOT STATIC AND ALTIMETER CHKS CURRENT. I WAS A FEW MONTHS OUT OF IFR CURRENCY. IN MY RUSH TO DEAL WITH THE IMC ENCOUNTER, MY FIRST REACTION WAS TO ASK FOR IFR, KNOWING THAT THE IMC WAS ONLY PARTLY ALONG MY RTE. I DID NOT CONSIDER CURRENCY REGS UNTIL I WAS CLRED UNDER IFR AND IN IMC.

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.

Commercial instrument rated pilot of a C150, on a VFR flight, encountered WX and became IMC. He subsequently obtained an IFR clearance when he was not IFR current or the aircraft equipment tested and inspected within the appropriated time limits for IFR flight.