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Pilot of single place small aircraft must climb through the overcast to obtain contact with ATC and receive his IFR clearance.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 779380 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200803 |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : hbz.airport |
| State Reference | AR |
| Altitude | msl single value : 2100 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | Marginal |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zme.artcc |
| Operator | general aviation : personal |
| Make Model Name | Small Aircraft |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Navigation In Use | other |
| Flight Phase | climbout : takeoff |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine pilot : commercial pilot : cfi |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 30 flight time total : 6600 flight time type : 3400 |
| ASRS Report | 779380 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | inflight encounter : vfr in imc non adherence : far |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : anomaly accepted |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Environmental Factor Flight Crew Human Performance Airport |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
Narrative:
After takeoff from hbz; I tried to contact ATC to pick up my IFR clearance. I flew over the lake that was west of hbz airport and stayed below the clouds while trying to pick up the clearance from ZME. I tried on the frequencys given to me by the current approach chart and GPS; which had a current database. A call back from hbz unicom suggested that I call little rock approach control facility. I tried; but got no answer. Soon I began to see yellow terrain features on the GPS terrain page; indicating that I was within 1000 ft of the ground. Thinking that it was safer to climb into the clouds than remaining VFR; I started climbing with hopes of picking up my clearance when I reached a high enough altitude. At 3100 ft; I broke through the tops of clouds and into the clear. At some point above the clouds; I could hear the approach control and center radios talking. I picked up an IFR clearance some time later. I believe the situation could have been avoided if an outlet radio frequency were available on hbz airport; before takeoff. I also could have made a better departure by calling any FSS on the cell phone and picking up a void time before departure.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: PLT OF SINGLE PLACE SMA MUST CLIMB THROUGH THE OVERCAST TO OBTAIN CONTACT WITH ATC AND RECEIVE HIS IFR CLRNC.
Narrative: AFTER TKOF FROM HBZ; I TRIED TO CONTACT ATC TO PICK UP MY IFR CLRNC. I FLEW OVER THE LAKE THAT WAS W OF HBZ ARPT AND STAYED BELOW THE CLOUDS WHILE TRYING TO PICK UP THE CLRNC FROM ZME. I TRIED ON THE FREQS GIVEN TO ME BY THE CURRENT APCH CHART AND GPS; WHICH HAD A CURRENT DATABASE. A CALL BACK FROM HBZ UNICOM SUGGESTED THAT I CALL LITTLE ROCK APCH CTL FACILITY. I TRIED; BUT GOT NO ANSWER. SOON I BEGAN TO SEE YELLOW TERRAIN FEATURES ON THE GPS TERRAIN PAGE; INDICATING THAT I WAS WITHIN 1000 FT OF THE GND. THINKING THAT IT WAS SAFER TO CLB INTO THE CLOUDS THAN REMAINING VFR; I STARTED CLBING WITH HOPES OF PICKING UP MY CLRNC WHEN I REACHED A HIGH ENOUGH ALT. AT 3100 FT; I BROKE THROUGH THE TOPS OF CLOUDS AND INTO THE CLR. AT SOME POINT ABOVE THE CLOUDS; I COULD HEAR THE APCH CTL AND CTR RADIOS TALKING. I PICKED UP AN IFR CLRNC SOME TIME LATER. I BELIEVE THE SITUATION COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED IF AN OUTLET RADIO FREQ WERE AVAILABLE ON HBZ ARPT; BEFORE TKOF. I ALSO COULD HAVE MADE A BETTER DEP BY CALLING ANY FSS ON THE CELL PHONE AND PICKING UP A VOID TIME BEFORE DEP.
Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 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.