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A non-IFR rated PA28 single pilot flew into IMC while VFR in rfd's airspace, provided ATC inferred emergency priority to landing at rfd.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 616640 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200404 |
| Day | Fri |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : rfd.airport |
| State Reference | IL |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | Mixed |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : rfd.tracon tower : rfd.tower |
| 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 |
| Route In Use | arrival : on vectors enroute : on vectors |
| Flight Plan | None |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : private |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 25 flight time total : 500 flight time type : 350 |
| ASRS Report | 616640 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : approach |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | inflight encounter : weather inflight encounter : vfr in imc non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure |
| Independent Detector | other controllera |
| Resolutory Action | controller : issued advisory controller : issued new clearance other |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Weather Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
I got a WX briefing which stated the WX was VFR with occasional scattered to broken clouds. I took off from phd en route to eft. I then climbed to 4500 ft. When I got over lake michigan, the WX closed in under us. I then flew for about 2 1/2 hours between layers looking for a break in the clouds to descend. At this time, I was talking to rockford approach, which told me there was no VFR WX in my close vicinity. Rockford approach then asked me if I wanted to do a pilot assigned approach into rockford. I said yes, and the controller gave me vectors to the airport. I descended through the clouds and landed at rockford airport without incident. What caused the situation was a false sense of good WX because of what I was told. I know now I should have turned around and returned to my departure airport. Also, if I had my instrument rating, I could have flown in IMC, and that would solve the problem.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: A NON-IFR RATED PA28 SINGLE PLT FLEW INTO IMC WHILE VFR IN RFD'S AIRSPACE, PROVIDED ATC INFERRED EMER PRIORITY TO LNDG AT RFD.
Narrative: I GOT A WX BRIEFING WHICH STATED THE WX WAS VFR WITH OCCASIONAL SCATTERED TO BROKEN CLOUDS. I TOOK OFF FROM PHD ENRTE TO EFT. I THEN CLBED TO 4500 FT. WHEN I GOT OVER LAKE MICHIGAN, THE WX CLOSED IN UNDER US. I THEN FLEW FOR ABOUT 2 1/2 HRS BTWN LAYERS LOOKING FOR A BREAK IN THE CLOUDS TO DSND. AT THIS TIME, I WAS TALKING TO ROCKFORD APCH, WHICH TOLD ME THERE WAS NO VFR WX IN MY CLOSE VICINITY. ROCKFORD APCH THEN ASKED ME IF I WANTED TO DO A PLT ASSIGNED APCH INTO ROCKFORD. I SAID YES, AND THE CTLR GAVE ME VECTORS TO THE ARPT. I DSNDED THROUGH THE CLOUDS AND LANDED AT ROCKFORD ARPT WITHOUT INCIDENT. WHAT CAUSED THE SIT WAS A FALSE SENSE OF GOOD WX BECAUSE OF WHAT I WAS TOLD. I KNOW NOW I SHOULD HAVE TURNED AROUND AND RETURNED TO MY DEP ARPT. ALSO, IF I HAD MY INST RATING, I COULD HAVE FLOWN IN IMC, AND THAT WOULD SOLVE THE PROB.
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.