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M20 pilot and passenger suffer traumatic encounter with severe WX on IFR flight. Believe ATC failed to provide vectors for safe passage.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 800346 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200808 |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : zzz.airport |
| State Reference | US |
| Altitude | msl single value : 12500 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | IMC |
| Weather Elements | Windshear Rain |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zzz.artcc tower : zzz.tower |
| Operator | general aviation : personal |
| Make Model Name | M-20 K (231) |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Flight Phase | cruise : level |
| Route In Use | enroute : on vectors |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : instrument pilot : private |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 40 flight time total : 520 flight time type : 250 |
| ASRS Report | 800346 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude inflight encounter : turbulence other anomaly |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : diverted to another airport flight crew : regained aircraft control flight crew : declared emergency |
| Consequence | other |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Flight Crew Human Performance Weather ATC Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | Weather |
Narrative:
Cruising at 12500 ft; heading 330 degrees; encountered severe WX; heavy rain; light hail; heavy turbulence; up- and downdrafts. ZDC had advised of 'WX ahead.' I requested vectors around it to the northeast; but they sent us right through it. A severe windshear caused the trim system to overload and cut off; cutting out the autoplt as well. The plane went into a turning descent; which I recovered from manually. With traumatized passenger; I declared an emergency and accepted a turn to the southeast. At 8500 ft we departed IMC and performed a visual approach and subsequently landed. There were no passenger or pilot injuries. Inspection of the aircraft revealed no damage. All system checked out normal.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: M20 PLT AND PAX SUFFER TRAUMATIC ENCOUNTER WITH SEVERE WX ON IFR FLT. BELIEVE ATC FAILED TO PROVIDE VECTORS FOR SAFE PASSAGE.
Narrative: CRUISING AT 12500 FT; HDG 330 DEGS; ENCOUNTERED SEVERE WX; HVY RAIN; LIGHT HAIL; HVY TURB; UP- AND DOWNDRAFTS. ZDC HAD ADVISED OF 'WX AHEAD.' I REQUESTED VECTORS AROUND IT TO THE NE; BUT THEY SENT US RIGHT THROUGH IT. A SEVERE WINDSHEAR CAUSED THE TRIM SYS TO OVERLOAD AND CUT OFF; CUTTING OUT THE AUTOPLT AS WELL. THE PLANE WENT INTO A TURNING DSCNT; WHICH I RECOVERED FROM MANUALLY. WITH TRAUMATIZED PAX; I DECLARED AN EMER AND ACCEPTED A TURN TO THE SE. AT 8500 FT WE DEPARTED IMC AND PERFORMED A VISUAL APCH AND SUBSEQUENTLY LANDED. THERE WERE NO PAX OR PLT INJURIES. INSPECTION OF THE ACFT REVEALED NO DAMAGE. ALL SYS CHKED OUT NORMAL.
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.