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Low altitude civil operation performed by a dhc-6 flight crew when forced to scud run under a 900 ft overcast from hwd for a visual approach to airport at sjc, ca.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 545924 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200204 |
| Day | Tue |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : sjc.airport |
| State Reference | CA |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 900 msl bound upper : 3000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | Mixed |
| Weather Elements | Rain |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : o90.tracon tower : sjc.tower |
| Operator | general aviation : corporate |
| Make Model Name | Twin Otter DHC-6 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Flight Phase | descent : approach |
| Route In Use | approach : visual |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : corporate |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : cfi pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 50 flight time total : 6500 flight time type : 400 |
| ASRS Report | 545924 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : corporate |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | inflight encounter : weather non adherence : company policies non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa other flight crewb |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : anomaly accepted |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | ATC Facility Weather ATC Human Performance Airspace Structure Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | ATC Facility |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
| Situations | |
| ATC Facility | communication equipment : sjc.tower |
Narrative:
This is a round trip flight that is performed 4 times a day. We operate part 91 out of sjc to lhm. We had left lhm IFR and were told to expect delays to sjc, our WX forecast said ceilings would be high enough to shoot approach to hwd and then go VFR to sjc. We do this whenever we can as WX allows. PNF got ATIS at both sjc and hwd. Hwd showed 5000 ft broken, 6000 ft overcast. Sjc showed few at 1500, 3200 ft broken, 5000 ft overcast. We shot the approach to hwd, broke out in clear about 34000 ft, looked like sjc would be good. Went VFR, ceiling dropped as we headed toward sjc. We had to get down to 900 ft MSL to stay out of clouds. ATIS never changed (it was still the same 20 mins later) and we were not told of ceilings coming down. ATIS needs to be updated when something as significant as this happens. Had we had an update we would have chosen delays so we could shoot approach to sjc.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: LOW ALT CIVIL OP PERFORMED BY A DHC-6 FLC WHEN FORCED TO SCUD RUN UNDER A 900 FT OVCST FROM HWD FOR A VISUAL APCH TO ARPT AT SJC, CA.
Narrative: THIS IS A ROUND TRIP FLT THAT IS PERFORMED 4 TIMES A DAY. WE OPERATE PART 91 OUT OF SJC TO LHM. WE HAD LEFT LHM IFR AND WERE TOLD TO EXPECT DELAYS TO SJC, OUR WX FORECAST SAID CEILINGS WOULD BE HIGH ENOUGH TO SHOOT APCH TO HWD AND THEN GO VFR TO SJC. WE DO THIS WHENEVER WE CAN AS WX ALLOWS. PNF GOT ATIS AT BOTH SJC AND HWD. HWD SHOWED 5000 FT BROKEN, 6000 FT OVCST. SJC SHOWED FEW AT 1500, 3200 FT BROKEN, 5000 FT OVCST. WE SHOT THE APCH TO HWD, BROKE OUT IN CLR ABOUT 34000 FT, LOOKED LIKE SJC WOULD BE GOOD. WENT VFR, CEILING DROPPED AS WE HEADED TOWARD SJC. WE HAD TO GET DOWN TO 900 FT MSL TO STAY OUT OF CLOUDS. ATIS NEVER CHANGED (IT WAS STILL THE SAME 20 MINS LATER) AND WE WERE NOT TOLD OF CEILINGS COMING DOWN. ATIS NEEDS TO BE UPDATED WHEN SOMETHING AS SIGNIFICANT AS THIS HAPPENS. HAD WE HAD AN UPDATE WE WOULD HAVE CHOSEN DELAYS SO WE COULD SHOOT APCH TO SJC.
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.