LJ60 crew flies into IMC conditions while ostensibly maintaining VFR; after a practice instrument ap...

Attributes
ACN	737699
Time
Date	200705
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : hou.airport
State Reference	TX
Altitude	msl single value : 3000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Marginal
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : i90.tracon
Operator	other
Make Model Name	Learjet 60
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Navigation In Use	ils localizer only : 12r other
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : visual
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government other
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : cfi pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 30 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 2000
ASRS Report	737699
Person 2
Affiliation	government other
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : vfr in imc non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : exited adverse environment
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Weather ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	Ambiguous

Narrative:

After low approach to hou runway 4; was assigned to enter left base to land on runway 17 by tower. Sequence was changed to land on runway 12R. ATC assigned us to climb and maintain 3000 ft and to proceed outbound for sequencing to runway 12R. I told the PNF that we needed an ILS to runway 12R. WX conditions began to deteriorate to marginal VFR as we proceeded outbound. ATC gave traffic on us to an air carrier on the ILS runway 12R approach. Air carrier pilot said he didn't believe we could be VFR. PNF asked for descent to 2000 ft. Descended between clouds to 2000 ft and into good VFR conditions. Intercepted the ILS runway 12R visually and tracked inbound to landing without further incident. VFR cloud separation was lost. Contributing factors were late frequency change from tower to approach control; frequency congestion; confusion whether to maintain ATC assigned altitude or deviate for cloud clearance; and rapidly changing cloud conditions.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LJ60 CREW FLIES INTO IMC CONDITIONS WHILE OSTENSIBLY MAINTAINING VFR; AFTER A PRACTICE INSTRUMENT APPROACH TO HOU.

Narrative: AFTER LOW APCH TO HOU RWY 4; WAS ASSIGNED TO ENTER L BASE TO LAND ON RWY 17 BY TWR. SEQUENCE WAS CHANGED TO LAND ON RWY 12R. ATC ASSIGNED US TO CLB AND MAINTAIN 3000 FT AND TO PROCEED OUTBOUND FOR SEQUENCING TO RWY 12R. I TOLD THE PNF THAT WE NEEDED AN ILS TO RWY 12R. WX CONDITIONS BEGAN TO DETERIORATE TO MARGINAL VFR AS WE PROCEEDED OUTBOUND. ATC GAVE TFC ON US TO AN ACR ON THE ILS RWY 12R APCH. ACR PLT SAID HE DIDN'T BELIEVE WE COULD BE VFR. PNF ASKED FOR DSCNT TO 2000 FT. DSNDED BTWN CLOUDS TO 2000 FT AND INTO GOOD VFR CONDITIONS. INTERCEPTED THE ILS RWY 12R VISUALLY AND TRACKED INBOUND TO LNDG WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. VFR CLOUD SEPARATION WAS LOST. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WERE LATE FREQ CHANGE FROM TWR TO APCH CTL; FREQ CONGESTION; CONFUSION WHETHER TO MAINTAIN ATC ASSIGNED ALT OR DEVIATE FOR CLOUD CLRNC; AND RAPIDLY CHANGING CLOUD CONDITIONS.

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.

LJ60 crew flies into IMC conditions while ostensibly maintaining VFR; after a practice instrument approach to hou.