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C206 pilot undertakes VFR flight in deteriorating WX conditions and a freezing level below 1000 AGL. Proceeds to land at destination in IMC without a clearance.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 782213 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200804 |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : zzz.airport |
| State Reference | US |
| Altitude | msl single value : 500 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | IMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Operator | general aviation : personal |
| Make Model Name | Cessna Stationair/Turbo Stationair 6 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Flight Phase | descent : approach |
| Flight Plan | None |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : atp pilot : cfi pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 50 flight time total : 8500 flight time type : 3000 |
| ASRS Report | 782213 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | incursion : landing without clearance inflight encounter : vfr in imc inflight encounter : weather non adherence : far |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : anomaly accepted |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Flight Crew Human Performance Weather |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
Departed VFR from ZZZ airport at XA30. WX estimated 1 mi visibility. Destined was ZZZ1 airport. WX at ZZZ1 reported 1 mi visibility. I was intending on obtaining an SVFR clearance into ZZZ as the control zone is active when visibility is below 3 mi. En route; reported visibility went down to 1/2 mi at ZZZ and 3/4 mi at ZZZ1. Minimum visibility for SVFR is 1 mi. Not wanting to return to ZZZ; I continued and landed at ZZZ1 without clearance. After landing; it occurred to me the proper thing to do would have been to request an IFR clearance to ZZZ1. However; freezing level was between 700 ft and 1000 ft MSL as measured by me en route. I did not want to climb to an IFR altitude and risk icing up the aircraft. I did what I thought was the safest thing after my poor decision to depart ZZZ in extremely marginal conditions. I will take freezing level into consideration next time and only depart expecting SVFR if I can go to IFR altitudes when SVFR minimums are not available.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: C206 PLT UNDERTAKES VFR FLT IN DETERIORATING WX CONDITIONS AND A FREEZING LEVEL BELOW 1000 AGL. PROCEEDS TO LAND AT DESTINATION IN IMC WITHOUT A CLRNC.
Narrative: DEPARTED VFR FROM ZZZ ARPT AT XA30. WX ESTIMATED 1 MI VISIBILITY. DESTINED WAS ZZZ1 ARPT. WX AT ZZZ1 RPTED 1 MI VISIBILITY. I WAS INTENDING ON OBTAINING AN SVFR CLRNC INTO ZZZ AS THE CTL ZONE IS ACTIVE WHEN VISIBILITY IS BELOW 3 MI. ENRTE; RPTED VISIBILITY WENT DOWN TO 1/2 MI AT ZZZ AND 3/4 MI AT ZZZ1. MINIMUM VISIBILITY FOR SVFR IS 1 MI. NOT WANTING TO RETURN TO ZZZ; I CONTINUED AND LANDED AT ZZZ1 WITHOUT CLRNC. AFTER LNDG; IT OCCURRED TO ME THE PROPER THING TO DO WOULD HAVE BEEN TO REQUEST AN IFR CLRNC TO ZZZ1. HOWEVER; FREEZING LEVEL WAS BTWN 700 FT AND 1000 FT MSL AS MEASURED BY ME ENRTE. I DID NOT WANT TO CLB TO AN IFR ALT AND RISK ICING UP THE ACFT. I DID WHAT I THOUGHT WAS THE SAFEST THING AFTER MY POOR DECISION TO DEPART ZZZ IN EXTREMELY MARGINAL CONDITIONS. I WILL TAKE FREEZING LEVEL INTO CONSIDERATION NEXT TIME AND ONLY DEPART EXPECTING SVFR IF I CAN GO TO IFR ALTS WHEN SVFR MINIMUMS ARE NOT AVAILABLE.
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.