<< >> NASA ASRS Report 636952, November 2004

A C172 with a student and instructor inadvertently entered IMC for 30 seconds upon departure in a night operation at jan.

Attributes
ACN	636952
Time
Date	200411
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : jan.airport
State Reference	MS
Altitude	msl single value : 1000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Marginal
Weather Elements	Rain
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : jan.tower
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	climbout : initial climbout : takeoff landing : touch and go
Route In Use	approach : traffic pattern
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	instruction : instructor
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 50 flight time total : 796 flight time type : 500
ASRS Report	636952
Person 2
Affiliation	other
Function	instruction : trainee
Qualification	pilot : student
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 none taken : anomaly accepted
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Weather Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Weather

Narrative:

While conducting a night cross country training flight, conditions were marginal. Ceiling was 2900 ft overcast, with few clouds reported lower. Visibility at the airport was reported as 4 mi in mist. Flight visibility was better than 10 mi throughout the flight and approach. We conducted a touch-and-go on runway 16R and departed. Upon climb out we inadvertently entered one of the 'few' clouds. We did not see the cloud until we were in it. Encounter lasted less than 30 seconds and positive aircraft control was maintained. Remainder of flight was conducted within VFR minimums and no other encounters of this nature happened. Nose high attitude of the airplane and darkness caused us to not be able to see the cloud until we were already in it and the strobes illuminated it. Future cross country flts at night and in MVFR will be conducted under IFR. This would have alleviated any concerns about violating VFR minimums and cloud clrncs. This, however, did turn into a good learning experience for both instructor and student.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A C172 WITH A STUDENT AND INSTRUCTOR INADVERTENTLY ENTERED IMC FOR 30 SECONDS UPON DEP IN A NIGHT OP AT JAN.

Narrative: WHILE CONDUCTING A NIGHT XCOUNTRY TRAINING FLT, CONDITIONS WERE MARGINAL. CEILING WAS 2900 FT OVCST, WITH FEW CLOUDS RPTED LOWER. VISIBILITY AT THE ARPT WAS RPTED AS 4 MI IN MIST. FLT VISIBILITY WAS BETTER THAN 10 MI THROUGHOUT THE FLT AND APCH. WE CONDUCTED A TOUCH-AND-GO ON RWY 16R AND DEPARTED. UPON CLBOUT WE INADVERTENTLY ENTERED ONE OF THE 'FEW' CLOUDS. WE DID NOT SEE THE CLOUD UNTIL WE WERE IN IT. ENCOUNTER LASTED LESS THAN 30 SECONDS AND POSITIVE ACFT CTL WAS MAINTAINED. REMAINDER OF FLT WAS CONDUCTED WITHIN VFR MINIMUMS AND NO OTHER ENCOUNTERS OF THIS NATURE HAPPENED. NOSE HIGH ATTITUDE OF THE AIRPLANE AND DARKNESS CAUSED US TO NOT BE ABLE TO SEE THE CLOUD UNTIL WE WERE ALREADY IN IT AND THE STROBES ILLUMINATED IT. FUTURE XCOUNTRY FLTS AT NIGHT AND IN MVFR WILL BE CONDUCTED UNDER IFR. THIS WOULD HAVE ALLEVIATED ANY CONCERNS ABOUT VIOLATING VFR MINIMUMS AND CLOUD CLRNCS. THIS, HOWEVER, DID TURN INTO A GOOD LEARNING EXPERIENCE FOR BOTH INSTRUCTOR AND STUDENT.

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.