GA SMA SVFR IN IMC.
Synopsis
GA SMA SVFR IN IMC.
Narrative
GET HOMEITIS! TOOK OFF IN GOOD VFR UNFORECASTED. WX MOVED IN. CALLED DEST; THEY RPTED 1200/2 MI. ASKED FOR SVFR AND WAS GRANTED. FOLLOWED KNOWN ROAD; BUT CEILING AND VISIBILITY BOTH MARGINAL. MADE A BAD DECISION AND PRESSED ON. FLEW THROUGH A SNOW SHOWER WITH VISIBILITY VARYING BTWN 1/2 MI TO 1 1/4 MI. DID NOT WANT TO LOSE SIGHT OF THE ROAD. VFR AIRPLANE ONLY. HAD TO DROP TO 200-600 AGL TO STAY VFR. I WAS CLRED TO ENTER CTL ZONE ON FIRST CONTACT. IT TOOK ABOUT 15 MIN BEFORE I GOT THERE. IN THE MEANTIME ANN ARBOR TWR HAD MICROPHONE PROBLEMS AND I COULDN'T RAISE THEM. I DID CONTACT ANOTHER AIRPLANE WHO WAS ALSO TRYING TO TALK TO THEM BECAUSE HE WAS IFR ON THE APCH. I EXPLAINED TO HIM THAT I WAS GETTING IN TROUBLE AND ASKED HIM TO BREAK OFF THE APCH; WHICH HE DID. ABOUT THAT TIME THE TWR CALLED ME AND EXPLAINED THEY HAD MICROPHONE PROBLEMS AND ASKED IF I WOULD CIRCLE. I TOLD THEM I WOULD RATHER NOT AND THE OTHER GUY WAS GOING TO BREAK OFF THE APCH. HE THEN RECLRED ME INTO THE CTL ZONE. I FOLLOWED KNOWN ROADS AND LANDED IN VERY MARGINAL 1 MI VISIBILITY. TO GET HOME I USED POOR JUDGEMENT TO PRESS ON IN A VFR AIRPLANE AND DIDN'T LEAVE MYSELF ENOUGH 'OUTS.' I WATCHED 'MURPHY' KEEP CHIPPING AWAY AT MY POOR JUDGEMENT. IT WAS MY EXPERIENCE THAT ALLOWED THIS FLT TO TERMINATE WITHOUT INJURY BUT IT WAS MY POOR JUDGEMENT THAT CREATED THE SITUATION. MY EXPERIENCE SHOULD HAVE TOLD ME BETTER.
Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.