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Disoriented GA pilot receives help from controller after erroneously entering IMC conditions near rac, wi.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 418559 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199810 |
| Day | Fri |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : rac |
| State Reference | WI |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 2000 msl bound upper : 2000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | Mixed |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Operator | general aviation : personal |
| Flight Phase | climbout : intermediate altitude |
| Route In Use | departure other |
| Flight Plan | VFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | Other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| ASRS Report | 418559 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : departure |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | inflight encounter : vfr in imc inflight encounter : weather other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
I arrived at batten field, racine, wi, at XA00. The WX was poor, both there and at my destination -- pontiac, il. I chose not to leave racine until WX improved. I continually called flight services, green bay, to look for improvement. WX to the south of racine was gradually improving, but racine remained socked in. By XB00 I was anxious to go in order to get back to my business. Unfortunately, I decided to fly despite the fog, figuring I'll climb on top and descend close to home. At that time, pontiac had a 1900 ft ceiling. Upon climb into the fog, I became disoriented. I immediately called back to racine to let them know what was happening. I then arrested my problem by 'flying the airplane,' although my body was telling me I was in a slow right turn descent. Once I leveled out, I contacted milwaukee departure and they vectored me through the clouds. My decision to forego WX in order to get back to my business was, to say the least, irresponsible. I respect WX, but my business sense told me otherwise. The fact that I lived through this experience brought home just how dangerous WX can be if one chooses to fly in it. My trouble in-flight was only a few seconds, but my memory of it will last my lifetime.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: DISORIENTED GA PLT RECEIVES HELP FROM CTLR AFTER ERRONEOUSLY ENTERING IMC CONDITIONS NEAR RAC, WI.
Narrative: I ARRIVED AT BATTEN FIELD, RACINE, WI, AT XA00. THE WX WAS POOR, BOTH THERE AND AT MY DEST -- PONTIAC, IL. I CHOSE NOT TO LEAVE RACINE UNTIL WX IMPROVED. I CONTINUALLY CALLED FLT SVCS, GREEN BAY, TO LOOK FOR IMPROVEMENT. WX TO THE S OF RACINE WAS GRADUALLY IMPROVING, BUT RACINE REMAINED SOCKED IN. BY XB00 I WAS ANXIOUS TO GO IN ORDER TO GET BACK TO MY BUSINESS. UNFORTUNATELY, I DECIDED TO FLY DESPITE THE FOG, FIGURING I'LL CLB ON TOP AND DSND CLOSE TO HOME. AT THAT TIME, PONTIAC HAD A 1900 FT CEILING. UPON CLB INTO THE FOG, I BECAME DISORIENTED. I IMMEDIATELY CALLED BACK TO RACINE TO LET THEM KNOW WHAT WAS HAPPENING. I THEN ARRESTED MY PROB BY 'FLYING THE AIRPLANE,' ALTHOUGH MY BODY WAS TELLING ME I WAS IN A SLOW R TURN DSCNT. ONCE I LEVELED OUT, I CONTACTED MILWAUKEE DEP AND THEY VECTORED ME THROUGH THE CLOUDS. MY DECISION TO FOREGO WX IN ORDER TO GET BACK TO MY BUSINESS WAS, TO SAY THE LEAST, IRRESPONSIBLE. I RESPECT WX, BUT MY BUSINESS SENSE TOLD ME OTHERWISE. THE FACT THAT I LIVED THROUGH THIS EXPERIENCE BROUGHT HOME JUST HOW DANGEROUS WX CAN BE IF ONE CHOOSES TO FLY IN IT. MY TROUBLE INFLT WAS ONLY A FEW SECONDS, BUT MY MEMORY OF IT WILL LAST MY LIFETIME.
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.