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C177RG private pilot finds a hole in the clouds in which to descend for his VFR flight to destination after refusing to accept an IFR from ZSE, wa.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 584205 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200306 |
| Day | Mon |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : zse.artcc |
| State Reference | WA |
| Altitude | agl bound lower : 2800 agl bound upper : 4000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | Mixed |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zse.artcc |
| Operator | general aviation : personal |
| Make Model Name | Cardinal 177/177RG |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Flight Phase | descent : intermediate altitude |
| Flight Plan | None |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : private |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 30 flight time total : 455 flight time type : 280 |
| ASRS Report | 584205 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : radar |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | inflight encounter : vfr in imc inflight encounter : weather non adherence : far other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other controllera other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | controller : issued advisory none taken : anomaly accepted other |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Environmental Factor Weather Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
Narrative:
Solid cloud cover with few holes. I announced I was descending through clouds (hole). Marginal IMC. Center wanted to know if I wanted an IFR approach to airport. I said no, I was headed down and would call back when I had cleared the clouds -- which I did. No conflict with center, however, more prudent judgement will be used in the future. I continued to destination without any comments from center other than release from flight following when I had airport in sight. Fuel was adequate for alternate -- approximately 3.5 hours remaining. Cloud cover was very spread out over a huge area. My descent was MVFR. All procedures were followed. My error in judgement was simply 'judgement.' I felt confident to make my descent when the opportunity presented itself, even though 2000 ft horizontally from clouds was far from that! Heavy overcast, but thin 800 ft. Bottom of layer at 2400 ft to approximately 2800 ft AGL, tops at 3800-4000 ft.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: C177RG PVT PLT FINDS A HOLE IN THE CLOUDS IN WHICH TO DSND FOR HIS VFR FLT TO DEST AFTER REFUSING TO ACCEPT AN IFR FROM ZSE, WA.
Narrative: SOLID CLOUD COVER WITH FEW HOLES. I ANNOUNCED I WAS DSNDING THROUGH CLOUDS (HOLE). MARGINAL IMC. CTR WANTED TO KNOW IF I WANTED AN IFR APCH TO ARPT. I SAID NO, I WAS HEADED DOWN AND WOULD CALL BACK WHEN I HAD CLRED THE CLOUDS -- WHICH I DID. NO CONFLICT WITH CTR, HOWEVER, MORE PRUDENT JUDGEMENT WILL BE USED IN THE FUTURE. I CONTINUED TO DEST WITHOUT ANY COMMENTS FROM CTR OTHER THAN RELEASE FROM FLT FOLLOWING WHEN I HAD ARPT IN SIGHT. FUEL WAS ADEQUATE FOR ALTERNATE -- APPROX 3.5 HRS REMAINING. CLOUD COVER WAS VERY SPREAD OUT OVER A HUGE AREA. MY DSCNT WAS MVFR. ALL PROCS WERE FOLLOWED. MY ERROR IN JUDGEMENT WAS SIMPLY 'JUDGEMENT.' I FELT CONFIDENT TO MAKE MY DSCNT WHEN THE OPPORTUNITY PRESENTED ITSELF, EVEN THOUGH 2000 FT HORIZLY FROM CLOUDS WAS FAR FROM THAT! HVY OVCST, BUT THIN 800 FT. BOTTOM OF LAYER AT 2400 FT TO APPROX 2800 FT AGL, TOPS AT 3800-4000 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.