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Pilot of a mooney M20K on flight following climbs to avoid cloud buildup and enters class a airspace without an IFR flight plan. ATC alerts him.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 412520 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199808 |
| Day | Wed |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : sps |
| State Reference | TX |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 18500 msl bound upper : 18500 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zfw |
| Operator | general aviation : personal |
| Make Model Name | M-20 K (231) |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Flight Phase | climbout : intermediate altitude cruise other |
| Flight Plan | VFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | Other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : private |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 39 flight time total : 356 flight time type : 85 |
| ASRS Report | 412520 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : radar |
| Qualification | controller : radar |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | inflight encounter : weather non adherence : far other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other controllera |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course flight crew : became reoriented other |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
On a VFR flight from dallas (ads) to santa flight engineer (saf), I climbed to 16500 ft MSL. As I approached wichita falls, tx, the cloud tops began to rise, so I continued to climb in order to remain VFR. I was using flight following and squawking the transponder code I was instructed to use. The clouds were broken cumulus but became solid about 20 mi west of wichita falls. The cloud tops gradually got higher and I continued to climb. I turned northerly to locate a hole in order to descend. At the time I believe I was in contact with ZFW. Before I could find a hole in the clouds, flight following or center contacted me and asked my altitude. I responded after which flight following notified me that I was above VFR altitudes. I thought I saw a hole so I responded that I was sorry and would descend immediately. What I thought was a hole was not, but I was able to descend below FL180 shortly thereafter.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: PLT OF A MOONEY M20K ON FLT FOLLOWING CLBS TO AVOID CLOUD BUILDUP AND ENTERS CLASS A AIRSPACE WITHOUT AN IFR FLT PLAN. ATC ALERTS HIM.
Narrative: ON A VFR FLT FROM DALLAS (ADS) TO SANTA FE (SAF), I CLBED TO 16500 FT MSL. AS I APCHED WICHITA FALLS, TX, THE CLOUD TOPS BEGAN TO RISE, SO I CONTINUED TO CLB IN ORDER TO REMAIN VFR. I WAS USING FLT FOLLOWING AND SQUAWKING THE XPONDER CODE I WAS INSTRUCTED TO USE. THE CLOUDS WERE BROKEN CUMULUS BUT BECAME SOLID ABOUT 20 MI W OF WICHITA FALLS. THE CLOUD TOPS GRADUALLY GOT HIGHER AND I CONTINUED TO CLB. I TURNED NORTHERLY TO LOCATE A HOLE IN ORDER TO DSND. AT THE TIME I BELIEVE I WAS IN CONTACT WITH ZFW. BEFORE I COULD FIND A HOLE IN THE CLOUDS, FLT FOLLOWING OR CTR CONTACTED ME AND ASKED MY ALT. I RESPONDED AFTER WHICH FLT FOLLOWING NOTIFIED ME THAT I WAS ABOVE VFR ALTS. I THOUGHT I SAW A HOLE SO I RESPONDED THAT I WAS SORRY AND WOULD DSND IMMEDIATELY. WHAT I THOUGHT WAS A HOLE WAS NOT, BUT I WAS ABLE TO DSND BELOW FL180 SHORTLY THEREAFTER.
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.