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Pilot of PA28 violates P49 when he encounters turbulence and disorientation in IMC while attempting to fly between buildups.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 627128 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200407 |
| Day | Thu |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | special use airspace : p49.prohibited |
| State Reference | TX |
| Altitude | msl single value : 5500 |
| Environment | |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tower : iah.tower |
| Operator | general aviation : personal |
| Make Model Name | PA-28 Cherokee Arrow IV |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Flight Phase | cruise : level |
| Flight Plan | None |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : multi engine pilot : flight engineer pilot : private |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 14 flight time total : 4000 flight time type : 1000 |
| ASRS Report | 627128 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | other personnel other |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | airspace violation : entry inflight encounter : weather inflight encounter : turbulence inflight encounter : vfr in imc other anomaly |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : exited adverse environment flight crew : regained aircraft control flight crew : landed as precaution flight crew : became reoriented |
| Consequence | faa : investigated |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Flight Crew Human Performance Airspace Structure Weather |
| Primary Problem | Weather |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
I departed 17TE, VFR, destination M78. My GPS course took me well east of P49. I encountered two sizeable buildups topping out at 10000 ft or better about 2 mi or so apart. Forward visibility was almost limitless with good to excellent ground visibility. I decided to proceed between these 2 cells and without warning my left wing dropped to a 90 degree bank and I was descending to the west and being tossed about like popcorn. During this sudden upset I was in solid IMC, lightning, and rain near the town of sattin highway 77 and the brazos river. I kept making descending turns to the left looking for lighter shaded areas within the cell and unknowingly and unavoidably entered P49 restr airspace. With prayer, skill, and luck I broke out of IMC at approximately 700 ft AGL and headed to tpl to inspect the aircraft for damage and fuel. Upon landing I was informed the FAA and other auths wanted to talk to me. I called and explained briefly what had happened and they advised me that no further action would be taken against me at that time, and someone from a government agency may be in touch.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: PLT OF PA28 VIOLATES P49 WHEN HE ENCOUNTERS TURB AND DISORIENTATION IN IMC WHILE ATTEMPTING TO FLY BTWN BUILDUPS.
Narrative: I DEPARTED 17TE, VFR, DEST M78. MY GPS COURSE TOOK ME WELL E OF P49. I ENCOUNTERED TWO SIZEABLE BUILDUPS TOPPING OUT AT 10000 FT OR BETTER ABOUT 2 MI OR SO APART. FORWARD VISIBILITY WAS ALMOST LIMITLESS WITH GOOD TO EXCELLENT GND VISIBILITY. I DECIDED TO PROCEED BTWN THESE 2 CELLS AND WITHOUT WARNING MY L WING DROPPED TO A 90 DEG BANK AND I WAS DSNDING TO THE W AND BEING TOSSED ABOUT LIKE POPCORN. DURING THIS SUDDEN UPSET I WAS IN SOLID IMC, LIGHTNING, AND RAIN NEAR THE TOWN OF SATTIN HWY 77 AND THE BRAZOS RIVER. I KEPT MAKING DSNDING TURNS TO THE L LOOKING FOR LIGHTER SHADED AREAS WITHIN THE CELL AND UNKNOWINGLY AND UNAVOIDABLY ENTERED P49 RESTR AIRSPACE. WITH PRAYER, SKILL, AND LUCK I BROKE OUT OF IMC AT APPROX 700 FT AGL AND HEADED TO TPL TO INSPECT THE ACFT FOR DAMAGE AND FUEL. UPON LNDG I WAS INFORMED THE FAA AND OTHER AUTHS WANTED TO TALK TO ME. I CALLED AND EXPLAINED BRIEFLY WHAT HAD HAPPENED AND THEY ADVISED ME THAT NO FURTHER ACTION WOULD BE TAKEN AGAINST ME AT THAT TIME, AND SOMEONE FROM A GOV AGENCY MAY BE IN TOUCH.
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.