<< >> NASA ASRS Report 451694, October 1999

A non instrument rated PA38 private pilot finds himself above clt and the clouds with no way to get down in visual conditions.

Attributes
ACN	451694
Time
Date	199910
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : clt.airport
State Reference	NC
Altitude	msl single value : 9500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : clt.tracon
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	PA-28 Cherokee/Archer II/Dakota/Pillan/Warrior
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Navigation In Use	other vortac
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 16.6 flight time total : 219.7 flight time type : 106.4
ASRS Report	451694
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : weather inflight encounter : vfr in imc non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : provided flight assist
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Weather Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Weather

Narrative:

Being VFR on top and with WX advisory, the cloud tops were at 7500 ft extended much further than anticipated. I could not see the ground because of the cloud layer. After getting advisory from FSS, we contacted clt approach to try to find us a hole to descend through. With 3.5 hours of fuel on board, we followed ATC advisories for approximately 1.25 hours with no holes in the clouds to be found. We then descended through the cloud deck with ATC's help and found VFR at 4000 ft, and proceeded to akh (gastonia, nc) and landed. I have 41 hours of IFR training and will be finishing very soon to get my IFR endorsement.

Related reports:

• C172 non instrument rated private pilot flew into clouds and...
• Piper PA28 instrument rated private pilot flew into clouds d...
• Instrument rated private pilot inadvertently on a solo cross...

	Enter your search terms Submit search form
	Web www.37000feet.com

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A NON INST RATED PA38 PVT PLT FINDS HIMSELF ABOVE CLT AND THE CLOUDS WITH NO WAY TO GET DOWN IN VISUAL CONDITIONS.

Narrative: BEING VFR ON TOP AND WITH WX ADVISORY, THE CLOUD TOPS WERE AT 7500 FT EXTENDED MUCH FURTHER THAN ANTICIPATED. I COULD NOT SEE THE GND BECAUSE OF THE CLOUD LAYER. AFTER GETTING ADVISORY FROM FSS, WE CONTACTED CLT APCH TO TRY TO FIND US A HOLE TO DSND THROUGH. WITH 3.5 HRS OF FUEL ON BOARD, WE FOLLOWED ATC ADVISORIES FOR APPROX 1.25 HRS WITH NO HOLES IN THE CLOUDS TO BE FOUND. WE THEN DSNDED THROUGH THE CLOUD DECK WITH ATC'S HELP AND FOUND VFR AT 4000 FT, AND PROCEEDED TO AKH (GASTONIA, NC) AND LANDED. I HAVE 41 HRS OF IFR TRAINING AND WILL BE FINISHING VERY SOON TO GET MY IFR ENDORSEMENT.

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.