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Pilot on IFR flight plan receives permission to descend to 4000 ft but breaks out under 500 ft ceiling with altimeter reading 4400. Encoder also indicates 4400 to approach controller.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 392074 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199801 |
| Day | Wed |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : sck |
| State Reference | CA |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 500 msl bound upper : 500 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | Marginal |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : sck |
| Operator | general aviation : personal |
| Make Model Name | Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Flight Phase | descent : approach descent other |
| Route In Use | enroute : direct |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | Other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 23100 flight time type : 900 |
| ASRS Report | 392074 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : approach |
| Qualification | controller : radar |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other other spatial deviation |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : detected after the fact |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Aircraft |
| Air Traffic Incident | other |
Narrative:
On an IFR flight from sts to sck I filed for 5000 ft and on climb out from sts broke out on top and requested and received a VFR on top altitude. Approaching sck and talking to sck approach control, received a hard altitude of 5000 ft. I was cruising VFR on top at 7500 ft and descended to 5000 ft but was unable to maintain 5000 ft and requested lower. Approach control gave me 4000 ft. I started my descent and broke out under the cloud base at approximately 500 ft. My altimeter was reading 4400 ft at that time. The encoder was also showing 4400 ft to approach control. I canceled IFR and proceeded VFR to the airport. After landing at sck my altimeter was reading 2000 ft. The field elevation at sck is 30 ft. Maintenance found the static line had come loose from the altimeter.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: PLT ON IFR FLT PLAN RECEIVES PERMISSION TO DSND TO 4000 FT BUT BREAKS OUT UNDER 500 FT CEILING WITH ALTIMETER READING 4400. ENCODER ALSO INDICATES 4400 TO APCH CTLR.
Narrative: ON AN IFR FLT FROM STS TO SCK I FILED FOR 5000 FT AND ON CLBOUT FROM STS BROKE OUT ON TOP AND REQUESTED AND RECEIVED A VFR ON TOP ALT. APCHING SCK AND TALKING TO SCK APCH CTL, RECEIVED A HARD ALT OF 5000 FT. I WAS CRUISING VFR ON TOP AT 7500 FT AND DSNDED TO 5000 FT BUT WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN 5000 FT AND REQUESTED LOWER. APCH CTL GAVE ME 4000 FT. I STARTED MY DSCNT AND BROKE OUT UNDER THE CLOUD BASE AT APPROX 500 FT. MY ALTIMETER WAS READING 4400 FT AT THAT TIME. THE ENCODER WAS ALSO SHOWING 4400 FT TO APCH CTL. I CANCELED IFR AND PROCEEDED VFR TO THE ARPT. AFTER LNDG AT SCK MY ALTIMETER WAS READING 2000 FT. THE FIELD ELEVATION AT SCK IS 30 FT. MAINT FOUND THE STATIC LINE HAD COME LOOSE FROM THE ALTIMETER.
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.