Pilot of VFR C182 blunders into IMC conditions off southern california coastline in conditions repor...

Attributes
ACN	589009
Time
Date	200307
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : ocn.vortac
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl single value : 3500
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Weather Elements	Rain other
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : sct.tracon
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Skylane 182/RG Turbo Skylane/RG
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Route In Use	enroute other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 23 flight time total : 245 flight time type : 150
ASRS Report	589009
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : vfr in imc non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : exited adverse environment flight crew : returned to intended or assigned course flight crew : became reoriented flight crew : took precautionary avoidance action
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Weather Airspace Structure Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

We received a WX briefing reporting 4 mi visibility in mist along our route with possible isolated thunderstorms. We decided to go VFR. Our flight had us following the coastline about 1/2 mi out to sea. I was mostly keeping track of the coastline at our 10 O'clock position. I could tell it was at least 4-5 mi visibility. I assumed this was the case all around. The combination of the mist and grey ocean made it hard to tell we were approaching a rain shower straight ahead. I went from a clear view of the coastline, below to the left, to zero visibility instantly. To make matters worse, we were passing a restr area 1/2 mi to our left, so I decided to turn a right 180 degrees. This was the wrong thing to do because I went toward the cloud and away from land. This disoriented me for a moment, but I was able to get us turned around and into clear air. The first thing I learned is that being over a large body of water makes it hard to judge visibility. If there is any questions, I will keep over land for better visual cues. The other thing I should have done was turned left. I would have had the land as a reference right away and I would have been going away from the cloud. I was a little worried about the restr area, but I probably could have stayed out of it and even if I didn't, it would have been better than what could have happened.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF VFR C182 BLUNDERS INTO IMC CONDITIONS OFF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA COASTLINE IN CONDITIONS RPTED AS 4 MI VISIBILITY IN MIST WITH POSSIBLE TSTMS. DOES 180 DEGS TO EXIT CONDITION.

Narrative: WE RECEIVED A WX BRIEFING RPTING 4 MI VISIBILITY IN MIST ALONG OUR RTE WITH POSSIBLE ISOLATED TSTMS. WE DECIDED TO GO VFR. OUR FLT HAD US FOLLOWING THE COASTLINE ABOUT 1/2 MI OUT TO SEA. I WAS MOSTLY KEEPING TRACK OF THE COASTLINE AT OUR 10 O'CLOCK POS. I COULD TELL IT WAS AT LEAST 4-5 MI VISIBILITY. I ASSUMED THIS WAS THE CASE ALL AROUND. THE COMBINATION OF THE MIST AND GREY OCEAN MADE IT HARD TO TELL WE WERE APCHING A RAIN SHOWER STRAIGHT AHEAD. I WENT FROM A CLR VIEW OF THE COASTLINE, BELOW TO THE L, TO ZERO VISIBILITY INSTANTLY. TO MAKE MATTERS WORSE, WE WERE PASSING A RESTR AREA 1/2 MI TO OUR L, SO I DECIDED TO TURN A R 180 DEGS. THIS WAS THE WRONG THING TO DO BECAUSE I WENT TOWARD THE CLOUD AND AWAY FROM LAND. THIS DISORIENTED ME FOR A MOMENT, BUT I WAS ABLE TO GET US TURNED AROUND AND INTO CLR AIR. THE FIRST THING I LEARNED IS THAT BEING OVER A LARGE BODY OF WATER MAKES IT HARD TO JUDGE VISIBILITY. IF THERE IS ANY QUESTIONS, I WILL KEEP OVER LAND FOR BETTER VISUAL CUES. THE OTHER THING I SHOULD HAVE DONE WAS TURNED L. I WOULD HAVE HAD THE LAND AS A REF RIGHT AWAY AND I WOULD HAVE BEEN GOING AWAY FROM THE CLOUD. I WAS A LITTLE WORRIED ABOUT THE RESTR AREA, BUT I PROBABLY COULD HAVE STAYED OUT OF IT AND EVEN IF I DIDN'T, IT WOULD HAVE BEEN BETTER THAN WHAT COULD HAVE HAPPENED.

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.

Pilot of VFR C182 blunders into IMC conditions off southern california coastline in conditions reported as 4 mi visibility in mist with possible thunderstorms. Does 180 degrees to exit condition.