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Small aircraft private pilot checked WX rfd for the next 3 hours and all forecasts were VFR conditions 1200 ft 4 mi visibility. En route the pilot checked WX rfd twice and conditions were 1200 ft 4 mi visibility. In contact approach control, same conditions, changed to tower 5 mi south and tower advised field now IFR 900 ft. Visibility dropping very fast. Declared emergency and tower pointed out field at 3 O'clock. Turned and landed ok. WX changed within mins, no other choice.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 357157 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199701 |
| Day | Thu |
| Local Time Of Day | 1801 To 2400 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : rfd |
| State Reference | IL |
| Altitude | agl bound lower : 1000 agl bound upper : 1000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | Marginal |
| Light | Night |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : rfd tower : rfd |
| Operator | general aviation : personal |
| Make Model Name | Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Flight Phase | descent : approach landing other other |
| Flight Plan | None |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | Other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : private |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 50 flight time total : 850 flight time type : 65 |
| ASRS Report | 357157 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : approach |
| Qualification | controller : radar |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | inflight encounter : weather inflight encounter : vfr in imc |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | controller : issued new clearance flight crew : declared emergency other |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Weather |
Narrative:
Checked rfd WX with WX brief with stl briefer at approximately XA00 pm. Stated 1200 ft/4 mi visibility with light mist. Left ijx at XC00 pm. Computer was calling same. Got north of peoria at about XC30 pm -- called 122.0 and got same -- 1200 ft/4 mi visibility with light mist at rfd. Was getting dark quickly now. Called rfd about 30 mi south and got squawk code. Field was still 1200 ft/4 mi visibility with mist. Approach turned me over to tower about 7 or 8 mi out. Visibility quickly dropped to IMC at 5 mi. Almost instantly tower radio told me airport 'had just gone IFR -- ceiling was 900 ft and what are your intentions?' couldn't see anything. Declared emergency, tower told me field was 3 mi and 3 O'clock position. Made slight turn -- saw field and landed without problem. Visibility dropped so quickly that I would have no choice but to land. Did not hesitate -- declared emergency very quickly, and got immediate help from tower.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: SMA PVT PLT CHKED WX RFD FOR THE NEXT 3 HRS AND ALL FORECASTS WERE VFR CONDITIONS 1200 FT 4 MI VISIBILITY. ENRTE THE PLT CHKED WX RFD TWICE AND CONDITIONS WERE 1200 FT 4 MI VISIBILITY. IN CONTACT APCH CTL, SAME CONDITIONS, CHANGED TO TWR 5 MI S AND TWR ADVISED FIELD NOW IFR 900 FT. VISIBILITY DROPPING VERY FAST. DECLARED EMER AND TWR POINTED OUT FIELD AT 3 O'CLOCK. TURNED AND LANDED OK. WX CHANGED WITHIN MINS, NO OTHER CHOICE.
Narrative: CHKED RFD WX WITH WX BRIEF WITH STL BRIEFER AT APPROX XA00 PM. STATED 1200 FT/4 MI VISIBILITY WITH LIGHT MIST. LEFT IJX AT XC00 PM. COMPUTER WAS CALLING SAME. GOT N OF PEORIA AT ABOUT XC30 PM -- CALLED 122.0 AND GOT SAME -- 1200 FT/4 MI VISIBILITY WITH LIGHT MIST AT RFD. WAS GETTING DARK QUICKLY NOW. CALLED RFD ABOUT 30 MI S AND GOT SQUAWK CODE. FIELD WAS STILL 1200 FT/4 MI VISIBILITY WITH MIST. APCH TURNED ME OVER TO TWR ABOUT 7 OR 8 MI OUT. VISIBILITY QUICKLY DROPPED TO IMC AT 5 MI. ALMOST INSTANTLY TWR RADIO TOLD ME ARPT 'HAD JUST GONE IFR -- CEILING WAS 900 FT AND WHAT ARE YOUR INTENTIONS?' COULDN'T SEE ANYTHING. DECLARED EMER, TWR TOLD ME FIELD WAS 3 MI AND 3 O'CLOCK POS. MADE SLIGHT TURN -- SAW FIELD AND LANDED WITHOUT PROB. VISIBILITY DROPPED SO QUICKLY THAT I WOULD HAVE NO CHOICE BUT TO LAND. DID NOT HESITATE -- DECLARED EMER VERY QUICKLY, AND GOT IMMEDIATE HELP FROM TWR.
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.