VFR in IMC. - NASA ASRS

Attributes
ACN	98355
Time
Date	198811
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : bpr
State Reference	TX
Altitude	msl bound lower : 6000 msl bound upper : 12500
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : mia
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Transport, Low Wing, 2 Recip Eng
Flight Phase	cruise other descent other
Route In Use	enroute airway : zfw
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 45 flight time total : 3000
ASRS Report	98355
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : vfr in imc non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : became reoriented
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

On a VFR night flight from tulsa to mineral wells, tx, in VFR conditions until on a cruise descent from 12500', at approximately 8000' I unintentionally penetrated IMC with a broken to O/C layer of clouds 1000-2000' thick which I found myself in west/O a clearance, so continued let down and broke out into clear at 6000-7000'. Was with ft worth center for VFR advisories at the time, didn't advise them of the cloud penetration.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: VFR IN IMC.

Narrative: ON A VFR NIGHT FLT FROM TULSA TO MINERAL WELLS, TX, IN VFR CONDITIONS UNTIL ON A CRUISE DSCNT FROM 12500', AT APPROX 8000' I UNINTENTIONALLY PENETRATED IMC WITH A BROKEN TO O/C LAYER OF CLOUDS 1000-2000' THICK WHICH I FOUND MYSELF IN W/O A CLRNC, SO CONTINUED LET DOWN AND BROKE OUT INTO CLR AT 6000-7000'. WAS WITH FT WORTH CENTER FOR VFR ADVISORIES AT THE TIME, DIDN'T ADVISE THEM OF THE CLOUD PENETRATION.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 2007 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.