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BH407 helicopter flew to an uncontrolled airport that was in class east airspace without clearance when the ceiling was only 800 ft.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 366796 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199704 |
| Day | Tue |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : vct |
| State Reference | TX |
| Altitude | agl bound lower : 300 agl bound upper : 300 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | IMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zhu tower : bil |
| Operator | general aviation : corporate |
| Make Model Name | Bell Helicopter Textron Undifferentiated or Other Model |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Flight Phase | climbout : takeoff |
| Flight Plan | None |
| Aircraft 2 | |
| Make Model Name | Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | Other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : cfi pilot : atp pilot : commercial |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 50 flight time total : 12060 flight time type : 30 |
| ASRS Report | 366796 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : radar |
| Qualification | controller : radar |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | inflight encounter : vfr in imc non adherence : far 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:
After 40 yrs on a ranch airport with daily helicopter operations, we moved (our whole flight department) to an uncontrolled airport with no tower but where class east airspace is in effect during periods of IMC. I made a cursory 'eyeball' check of the WX, jumped in the cockpit, cranked up, and flew 6 mi away to our downtown heliport. When I was just at the edge of the airport I realized the WX might be less than, VFR (800 ft ceiling). When I got downtown I telephoned ASOS and heard 5 mi and only 800 ft overcast. Problems: 1) my inattention and negligence, 2) change in routine, we never had to contend with SVFR clrncs before, 3) ASOS is only on a dial-up phone line and is not broadcast live, and 4) ZHU (100+ mi away) is the controling authority/authorized of the class east (control zone).
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: BH407 HELI FLEW TO AN UNCTLED ARPT THAT WAS IN CLASS E AIRSPACE WITHOUT CLRNC WHEN THE CEILING WAS ONLY 800 FT.
Narrative: AFTER 40 YRS ON A RANCH ARPT WITH DAILY HELI OPS, WE MOVED (OUR WHOLE FLT DEPT) TO AN UNCTLED ARPT WITH NO TWR BUT WHERE CLASS E AIRSPACE IS IN EFFECT DURING PERIODS OF IMC. I MADE A CURSORY 'EYEBALL' CHK OF THE WX, JUMPED IN THE COCKPIT, CRANKED UP, AND FLEW 6 MI AWAY TO OUR DOWNTOWN HELIPORT. WHEN I WAS JUST AT THE EDGE OF THE ARPT I REALIZED THE WX MIGHT BE LESS THAN, VFR (800 FT CEILING). WHEN I GOT DOWNTOWN I TELEPHONED ASOS AND HEARD 5 MI AND ONLY 800 FT OVCST. PROBS: 1) MY INATTENTION AND NEGLIGENCE, 2) CHANGE IN ROUTINE, WE NEVER HAD TO CONTEND WITH SVFR CLRNCS BEFORE, 3) ASOS IS ONLY ON A DIAL-UP PHONE LINE AND IS NOT BROADCAST LIVE, AND 4) ZHU (100+ MI AWAY) IS THE CTLING AUTH OF THE CLASS E (CTL ZONE).
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.