Narrative:

Low ceiling, flying level offshore utilizing sfar deviation to fly at 1000 ft. Normal route goes on shore and ceiling appeared adequately high to climb, maintain 1500 ft AGL, and go onshore, therefore still complying with sfar. However, after crossing the shoreline it became apparent that there would not be adequate clearance under the clouds while maintaining 1500 ft AGL, so immediately turned back offshore and began descent to 1000 ft again. During this transition, we were under 1500 ft while still onshore, and therefore in violation of the sfar. In the future, I will not turn onshore unless I am absolutely sure that I will have sufficient cloud clearance to maintain sfar required altitude.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A BN2 PLT FOR AN ACR VIOLATED THE MINIMUM TERRAIN CLRNC WHILE ATTEMPTING TO REMAIN CLR OF LOW CLOUD COVER ON A VFR PAX FLT.

Narrative: LOW CEILING, FLYING LEVEL OFFSHORE UTILIZING SFAR DEV TO FLY AT 1000 FT. NORMAL RTE GOES ON SHORE AND CEILING APPEARED ADEQUATELY HIGH TO CLB, MAINTAIN 1500 FT AGL, AND GO ONSHORE, THEREFORE STILL COMPLYING WITH SFAR. HOWEVER, AFTER XING THE SHORELINE IT BECAME APPARENT THAT THERE WOULD NOT BE ADEQUATE CLRNC UNDER THE CLOUDS WHILE MAINTAINING 1500 FT AGL, SO IMMEDIATELY TURNED BACK OFFSHORE AND BEGAN DSCNT TO 1000 FT AGAIN. DURING THIS TRANSITION, WE WERE UNDER 1500 FT WHILE STILL ONSHORE, AND THEREFORE IN VIOLATION OF THE SFAR. IN THE FUTURE, I WILL NOT TURN ONSHORE UNLESS I AM ABSOLUTELY SURE THAT I WILL HAVE SUFFICIENT CLOUD CLRNC TO MAINTAIN SFAR REQUIRED ALT.

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.