1992-05 · NASA ASRS report 211375
SMA PLT FLIES INTO IMC REQUESTS ASSISTANCE TO VF R CONDITIONS. VECTORS TO ILS APCH.
LEFT CHO DIRECT ORANGE NDB AT 2500 MSL DIRECT CSN VOR -- ENCOUNTERED MARGINAL VFR ABEAM JYO -- DIVERTED TO MRB AND LANDED. REQUESTED CURRENT WX FROM FSS ON FIELD -- BWI 900 SCATTERED 1.3 MI VISIBILITY. MTN 400 SCATTERED; 7 MI VISIBILITY -- DID NOT PROCEED WITH FLT. RETURNED TO MRB AND RECEIVED UPDATED BRIEFING FROM FSS. MRB 1700 SCATTERED VISIBILITY 7; BWI 1800 SCATTERED; 20 MI VISIBILITY; MTN 1700 SCATTERED VISIBILITY 15. DEPARTED MRB AND ENCOUNTERED INTERMITTENT IFR CONDITIONS 20 NM W OF FREDERICK VOR -- CLBED TO 3500 TO AVOID TERRAIN WHICH RISES TO 2300 IN THIS AREA -- IN THE CLB; BECAME SOLID IFR AND WAS NOT ABLE TO EXECUTE 180 DEG TURN TO RETURN TO VFR DUE TO INABILITY TO SEE TERRAIN -- CALLED BALTIMORE APCH; ADVISED THEM OF CONDITIONS; REQUESTED FLT ADVISORIES AND DSCNT TO VFR ALT AFTER FREDERICK VOR; DECLINED IFR CLRNC AT THIS TIME AND ADVISED CTLR THAT I WAS NOT CURRENTLY RATED AND AGAIN REQUESTED ASSISTANCE TO RETURN TO VFR AT LOWER ALT -- I WAS ADVISED TO DSND AND MAINTAIN 2500; AGAIN DECLINED IFR CLRNC. AFTER THIRD REQUEST; ACCEPTED CLRNC AND VECTORS TO MTN TO INTERCEPT THE ILS AND LAND ON RWY 32 -- WHEN TOLD TO TRANSIT CINDY INTXN AT 2100; I TOLD BALTIMORE APCH NEGATIVE IFR CHARTS AND REQUESTED VECTORS TO INTERCEPT THE ILS -- ATC ADVISED XING CINDY ASKED IF I HAD VISIBLE GND REF FOR WHICH I GAVE NEGATIVE RESPONSE -- ATC RELEASED ME; TERMINATED RADAR SVC; AND TOLD ME TO CONTACT THE TWR AT MTN -- CONTACTED TWR; BECAME VFR AT 2000 LANDED VFR. GND CTLR TOLD ME TO CONTACT THE TWR -- CONTACTED TWR; GAVE THEM MY NAME; ADDRESS; AND PHONE NUMBER. THE MAIN PROBLEM INVOLVED IN THIS SITUATION WAS FLYING VFR INTO IFR CONDITIONS. SHOULD I HAVE BEEN IN AN AREA NOT HAVING HILL ELEVATIONS; I WOULD HAVE EXECUTED THE 180 DEG TURN. UPON LEAVING MRB AT THE TWR'S REQUEST; I GAVE THEM A PIREP THAT I HAD GOOD VISIBILITY AT 2400. IT SHOULD ALSO BE NOTED THAT THE FSS BRIEFER ADVISED ME THAT AN ACFT HAD BEEN LOST IN THE FREDERICK FOOTHILLS IN FEB WHICH ALSO INFLUENCED MY DECISION TO CLB INTO A SAFE ALT. ALTHOUGH THE CEILINGS WERE LOW; THEY WERE ADEQUATE FOR VFR FLT ESPECIALLY WHEN COUPLED WITH THE VISIBILITIES CURRENT IN THE AREA.
Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.
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