 |
37000 Feet | Browse and search NASA's Aviation Safety Reporting System |
|
Non instrument rated private pilot requested an instrument approach after becoming low on fuel over an undercast. Approach and tower controllers assisted reporter to a successful landing.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 491971 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200011 |
| Day | Sat |
| Local Time Of Day | 1801 To 2400 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : okc.airport |
| State Reference | OK |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 1300 msl bound upper : 6500 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | IMC |
| Weather Elements | Fog |
| Light | Night |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : okc.tracon |
| Operator | general aviation : personal |
| Make Model Name | PA-28 Cherokee/Archer II/Dakota/Pillan/Warrior |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Flight Phase | cruise : level descent : approach |
| Flight Plan | None |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : private |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 42 flight time total : 121 flight time type : 127 |
| ASRS Report | 491971 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : approach |
| Qualification | controller : radar |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | inflight encounter : weather inflight encounter : vfr in imc non adherence : far other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | controller : provided flight assist other |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Flight Crew Human Performance Weather |
| Primary Problem | Weather |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
I flew above an undercast layer of clouds with the impression that the clouds would be breaking up over the oklahoma city area. 2 hours later when I reached the oklahoma city area, I found my impression was wrong and this blanket of clouds continued from horizon to horizon. I called flight watch for my best hope for VFR WX. I then flew towards lawton on their advice. When I got close enough to pick up their automated WX frequency it was reporting ceilings at 1000 ft. At this point I was too low on fuel to head back out of the clouded area. I then requested to shoot the approach in to will rogers, since I had practiced it before and had approach plates in the plane. I successfully shot the approach with help from the tower. However, I am not IFR qualified and not had much practice in IFR conditions, and therefore things could have turned out much worse.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: NON INST RATED PVT PLT REQUESTED AN INST APCH AFTER BECOMING LOW ON FUEL OVER AN UNDERCAST. APCH AND TWR CTLRS ASSISTED RPTR TO A SUCCESSFUL LNDG.
Narrative: I FLEW ABOVE AN UNDERCAST LAYER OF CLOUDS WITH THE IMPRESSION THAT THE CLOUDS WOULD BE BREAKING UP OVER THE OKLAHOMA CITY AREA. 2 HRS LATER WHEN I REACHED THE OKLAHOMA CITY AREA, I FOUND MY IMPRESSION WAS WRONG AND THIS BLANKET OF CLOUDS CONTINUED FROM HORIZON TO HORIZON. I CALLED FLT WATCH FOR MY BEST HOPE FOR VFR WX. I THEN FLEW TOWARDS LAWTON ON THEIR ADVICE. WHEN I GOT CLOSE ENOUGH TO PICK UP THEIR AUTOMATED WX FREQ IT WAS RPTING CEILINGS AT 1000 FT. AT THIS POINT I WAS TOO LOW ON FUEL TO HEAD BACK OUT OF THE CLOUDED AREA. I THEN REQUESTED TO SHOOT THE APCH IN TO WILL ROGERS, SINCE I HAD PRACTICED IT BEFORE AND HAD APCH PLATES IN THE PLANE. I SUCCESSFULLY SHOT THE APCH WITH HELP FROM THE TWR. HOWEVER, I AM NOT IFR QUALIFIED AND NOT HAD MUCH PRACTICE IN IFR CONDITIONS, AND THEREFORE THINGS COULD HAVE TURNED OUT MUCH WORSE.
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.