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A C172 pilot went IMC in a VFR pattern and diverted to a nearby field because a panicked student pilot was also in pattern.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 674345 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200510 |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : zzz.airport |
| State Reference | US |
| Altitude | agl single value : 6300 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | Mixed |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : zzz1.tracon |
| Operator | general aviation : personal |
| Make Model Name | Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Flight Phase | climbout : initial |
| Flight Plan | None |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : private |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 6 flight time type : 230 |
| ASRS Report | 674345 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : approach |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | inflight encounter : weather inflight encounter : vfr in imc non adherence : far non adherence : clearance |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | controller : provided flight assist flight crew : exited adverse environment flight crew : diverted to another airport |
| Consequence | faa : reviewed incident with flight crew |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Airport Flight Crew Human Performance Weather |
| Primary Problem | Weather |
Narrative:
Pilot was flying VFR to remain in the pattern for practice take offs and lndgs. Upon takeoff I thought the ceiling was appropriate for pattern work. Upon climb out I noticed my altimeter indicating 6300 ft at which time I entered into the clouds. I had already committed the airplane into the pattern entering my crosswind leg. Upon realizing I had violated VFR rules for cloud clearance; I decided to continue with a climb out of the clouds. Upon clearing clouds I radioed the FBO's front desk on 122.80 and asked for advice. They told me not to return to the pattern as the ceiling became worse with 200 ft. They advised me to vector to ZZZ1. I obtained a special permission to land for a full stop with ZZZ1 approach. I landed safely at ZZZ1 and a qualified IFR pilot came and flew me back to double ZZZ. I made a mistake; and it will not happen again. I was debriefed by the manager at FBO; after which I apologized. Again; I made the wrong decision to fly and next time I will contact WX to get official ceiling. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter said that he was directed not to reenter the traffic pattern after he went IMC because a student pilot in an aircraft immediately behind him was panicking and ATC consequently wanted the reporter out of the pattern. He landed at a nearby airport and was advised of a correct future action on his part.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: A C172 PILOT WENT IMC IN A VFR PATTERN AND DIVERTED TO A NEARBY FIELD BECAUSE A PANICKED STUDENT PLT WAS ALSO IN PATTERN.
Narrative: PILOT WAS FLYING VFR TO REMAIN IN THE PATTERN FOR PRACTICE TAKE OFFS AND LNDGS. UPON TKOF I THOUGHT THE CEILING WAS APPROPRIATE FOR PATTERN WORK. UPON CLIMB OUT I NOTICED MY ALTIMETER INDICATING 6300 FT AT WHICH TIME I ENTERED INTO THE CLOUDS. I HAD ALREADY COMMITTED THE AIRPLANE INTO THE PATTERN ENTERING MY CROSSWIND LEG. UPON REALIZING I HAD VIOLATED VFR RULES FOR CLOUD CLRNC; I DECIDED TO CONTINUE WITH A CLIMB OUT OF THE CLOUDS. UPON CLRING CLOUDS I RADIOED THE FBO'S FRONT DESK ON 122.80 AND ASKED FOR ADVICE. THEY TOLD ME NOT TO RETURN TO THE PATTERN AS THE CEILING BECAME WORSE WITH 200 FT. THEY ADVISED ME TO VECTOR TO ZZZ1. I OBTAINED A SPECIAL PERMISSION TO LAND FOR A FULL STOP WITH ZZZ1 APCH. I LANDED SAFELY AT ZZZ1 AND A QUALIFIED IFR PILOT CAME AND FLEW ME BACK TO DOUBLE ZZZ. I MADE A MISTAKE; AND IT WILL NOT HAPPEN AGAIN. I WAS DEBRIEFED BY THE MGR AT FBO; AFTER WHICH I APOLOGIZED. AGAIN; I MADE THE WRONG DECISION TO FLY AND NEXT TIME I WILL CONTACT WX TO GET OFFICIAL CEILING. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR SAID THAT HE WAS DIRECTED NOT TO REENTER THE TFC PATTERN AFTER HE WENT IMC BECAUSE A STUDENT PILOT IN AN ACFT IMMEDIATELY BEHIND HIM WAS PANICKING AND ATC CONSEQUENTLY WANTED THE RPTR OUT OF THE PATTERN. HE LANDED AT A NEARBY ARPT AND WAS ADVISED OF A CORRECT FUTURE ACTION ON HIS PART.
Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.