<< >> NASA ASRS Report 423104, December 1998

An small aircraft pilot descends from his assigned altitude while in the lax sfr corridor due to an unexpected encounter with clouds at his altitude.

Attributes
ACN	423104
Time
Date	199812
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : lax
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3300 msl bound upper : 3500
Environment
Flight Conditions	Marginal
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 35 flight time total : 3200
ASRS Report	423104
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

WX was unsettled, with vny ATIS reporting 5000 ft, and lgb reporting 2500 ft scattered with 4000 ft broken. These ATIS reports were about 30 mins old. The vny reports appeared to be still valid in the area. I was receiving flight following from socal approach over vny and was released to cross los angeles via the sfr route. About 2 mi past lax (south) we encountered brisk winds and a rapidly lowering ceiling which required that we descend to 3300 ft MSL. We were very close to exiting the south end of the sfr route but may have descended a little early. After passing this small band of clouds we climbed back to 3500 ft. There is no flexibility in the sfr route which divides the los angeles basin. The V186 route around the los angeles class B airspace is dangerous when severe WX covers the local mountains. IFR in a single engine plane is also not an option when the freezing level is 2000 ft.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN SMA PLT DSNDS FROM HIS ASSIGNED ALT WHILE IN THE LAX SFR CORRIDOR DUE TO AN UNEXPECTED ENCOUNTER WITH CLOUDS AT HIS ALT.

Narrative: WX WAS UNSETTLED, WITH VNY ATIS RPTING 5000 FT, AND LGB RPTING 2500 FT SCATTERED WITH 4000 FT BROKEN. THESE ATIS RPTS WERE ABOUT 30 MINS OLD. THE VNY RPTS APPEARED TO BE STILL VALID IN THE AREA. I WAS RECEIVING FLT FOLLOWING FROM SOCAL APCH OVER VNY AND WAS RELEASED TO CROSS LOS ANGELES VIA THE SFR RTE. ABOUT 2 MI PAST LAX (S) WE ENCOUNTERED BRISK WINDS AND A RAPIDLY LOWERING CEILING WHICH REQUIRED THAT WE DSND TO 3300 FT MSL. WE WERE VERY CLOSE TO EXITING THE S END OF THE SFR RTE BUT MAY HAVE DSNDED A LITTLE EARLY. AFTER PASSING THIS SMALL BAND OF CLOUDS WE CLBED BACK TO 3500 FT. THERE IS NO FLEXIBILITY IN THE SFR RTE WHICH DIVIDES THE LOS ANGELES BASIN. THE V186 RTE AROUND THE LOS ANGELES CLASS B AIRSPACE IS DANGEROUS WHEN SEVERE WX COVERS THE LCL MOUNTAINS. IFR IN A SINGLE ENG PLANE IS ALSO NOT AN OPTION WHEN THE FREEZING LEVEL IS 2000 FT.

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.