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A very low time private pilot, on a long cross country, encountered IMC in the vicinity of ffa and declared an emergency in order to receive vectors.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 474747 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200005 |
| Day | Sun |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| State Reference | NC |
| Altitude | msl single value : 800 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | IMC |
| Weather Elements | Rain |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zdc.artcc |
| Operator | general aviation : personal |
| Make Model Name | Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Flight Phase | climbout : takeoff climbout : intermediate altitude cruise : holding |
| Flight Plan | None |
| Aircraft 2 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zdc.artcc |
| Operator | other |
| Make Model Name | Helicopter |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : private |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 20 flight time total : 80 flight time type : 80 |
| ASRS Report | 474747 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : radar |
| Qualification | controller : radar |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | inflight encounter : vfr in imc non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | controller : provided flight assist controller : issued advisory flight crew : declared emergency |
| Consequence | faa : reviewed incident with flight crew other |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Flight Crew Human Performance Weather |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
I obtained a standard briefing from the FSS on jun/xa/00 at XA00Z for my flight from fci to ffa -- first flight with return to fci. At this time the WX report predicted VFR conditions for the entire day. Late afternoon rainshowers, with ceiling above 3000 ft had been indicated in the forecast also. For that reason, I planned to return earlier than planned originally. The flight to ffa went smoothly and I arrived at XD00Z. About 15 mins after departing ffa, first flight in VFR conditions on jun/xa/00 at XI00Z, the ceiling dropped to less than 800 ft. An attempt to return to ffa failed because of deteriorating WX conditions. After circling in a hole in the clouds for 30 mins, maintaining visual ground contact, the WX condition got worse and I decided to call 121.5 to declare an emergency. My position at this time was 7 mi from ecg on the 180 degree radial from VOR-ecg in class east airspace. ZDC and a military helicopter instructed me to fly headings and altitudes to bring me safely to suffolk where I landed the airplane at sfq. In order to bring the airplane back to fci where I rented it from, I called my FBO to ask for an instructor to be flown to sfq to help me to fly my plane back. We arrived at fci at about XK30 local time.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: A VERY LOW TIME PVT PLT, ON A LONG XCOUNTRY, ENCOUNTERED IMC IN THE VICINITY OF FFA AND DECLARED AN EMER IN ORDER TO RECEIVE VECTORS.
Narrative: I OBTAINED A STANDARD BRIEFING FROM THE FSS ON JUN/XA/00 AT XA00Z FOR MY FLT FROM FCI TO FFA -- FIRST FLT WITH RETURN TO FCI. AT THIS TIME THE WX RPT PREDICTED VFR CONDITIONS FOR THE ENTIRE DAY. LATE AFTERNOON RAINSHOWERS, WITH CEILING ABOVE 3000 FT HAD BEEN INDICATED IN THE FORECAST ALSO. FOR THAT REASON, I PLANNED TO RETURN EARLIER THAN PLANNED ORIGINALLY. THE FLT TO FFA WENT SMOOTHLY AND I ARRIVED AT XD00Z. ABOUT 15 MINS AFTER DEPARTING FFA, FIRST FLT IN VFR CONDITIONS ON JUN/XA/00 AT XI00Z, THE CEILING DROPPED TO LESS THAN 800 FT. AN ATTEMPT TO RETURN TO FFA FAILED BECAUSE OF DETERIORATING WX CONDITIONS. AFTER CIRCLING IN A HOLE IN THE CLOUDS FOR 30 MINS, MAINTAINING VISUAL GND CONTACT, THE WX CONDITION GOT WORSE AND I DECIDED TO CALL 121.5 TO DECLARE AN EMER. MY POS AT THIS TIME WAS 7 MI FROM ECG ON THE 180 DEG RADIAL FROM VOR-ECG IN CLASS E AIRSPACE. ZDC AND A MIL HELI INSTRUCTED ME TO FLY HDGS AND ALTS TO BRING ME SAFELY TO SUFFOLK WHERE I LANDED THE AIRPLANE AT SFQ. IN ORDER TO BRING THE AIRPLANE BACK TO FCI WHERE I RENTED IT FROM, I CALLED MY FBO TO ASK FOR AN INSTRUCTOR TO BE FLOWN TO SFQ TO HELP ME TO FLY MY PLANE BACK. WE ARRIVED AT FCI AT ABOUT XK30 LCL TIME.
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.