PLT FILED AN IFR FLT PLAN WITH THE REMARKS; 'RADAR VECTORS FOR THUNDERSTORM AVOIDANCE.' IN AN FSS BRIEFING THE PLT WAS INFORMED THAT HEAVY RAIN; HAIL; THUNDERSTORMS; GUSTY WINDS AT 50 KTS; AND POOR VISIBILITY; EXISTED ALONG HIS RTE FLT.
Synopsis
PLT FILED AN IFR FLT PLAN WITH THE REMARKS; 'RADAR VECTORS FOR THUNDERSTORM AVOIDANCE.' IN AN FSS BRIEFING THE PLT WAS INFORMED THAT HEAVY RAIN; HAIL; THUNDERSTORMS; GUSTY WINDS AT 50 KTS; AND POOR VISIBILITY; EXISTED ALONG HIS RTE FLT.
Narrative
I RECEIVED A WX BRIEFING FROM A FLT SERVICE BRIEFER FOR THE PROPOSED TRIP FROM SGF TO LBF AND FILED AN IFR FLT PLAN WITH 'RADAR VECTOR FOR THUNDERSTORM' IN THE REMARKS SECTION OF THE FLT PLAN AS THERE WAS A LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS THE ENTERED RTE BEING APPROX 60 MI E OF ICT MOVING NE. AFTER DEPARTING SFG; I WAS IN AND OUT OF AREAS OF IFR CONDITIONS WITH MODERATE TURB IN IFR AND LIGHT TURB IN VMC CONDITIONS. I WAS ASKED BY ATC TO CLIMB TO A HIGHER ALT FOR CROSSING TFC AND I COMPLIED; BUT THE TURB WAS WORSE; SO I ASKED FOR A LOWER ALT ASAP AND FINALLY WAS CLEARED TO A LOWER ALT. WHILE ENRTE I WOULD GET AN UPDATED WX BRIEFING FOR PLANNING AND SAFETY REASONS. WHEN I WAS SWITCHED TO THE FINAL CTLR; I AGAIN ASKED FOR UPDATED BRIEFING; WHICH DID NOT SOUND LIKE THE WX WAS WORKABLE. SO I ASKED FOR MORE INFO ABOUT AREAS ALONG SIDE OF MY DIRECT RTE; BUT WAS TOLD TO GO DIRECT ICT TO MY DEST. I TURNED TO THE NEW HDG AND UPON ROLL OUT; I HAD A WALL OF IFR WX DIRECTLY IN FRONT AND APPROX 15 MI AWAY. I IMMEDIATELY ASKED TO GO OFF FREQ TO TALK TO FLT WATCH AND WAS GRANTED PERMISSION; BUT AS USUAL; RPT BROKE UP. AFTER MAKING CONTACT WITH THE FLT WATCH BRIEFER; HE INFORMED ME THAT THE CURRENT CONDITIONS IN ICT WERE HALF MILE VIS IN HEAVY RAIN; THUNDERSTORM; HALF TO 1 INCH; AND WIND GUSTS TO 50 MPH AND HIS ADVICE WAS OF COURSE DON'T GO THERE; AND HEARING THAT; I WOULD NOT GO THERE WITHOUT HIS ADVICE. ABOUT THAT TIME; I ENCOUNTERED TURB FAST APCHING 'SEVERE;' SO I TOLD HIM I WAS MAKING A SHALLOW TURN TO THE R AND LET MY RADAR HELP FIND A WAY TO THE R AND TO EXIT THE AREA OF TURB. MY AIRSPD WAS WELL BELOW MANUAL SPD FOR THE WEIGHT AND I DISCONTINUED MY CONVERSATION AND I SWITCHED TO ATC CTLR TO TELL HIM WHAT MY FLT CONDITIONS WERE AND I WAS EXITING THAT SPACE TO TAKE A NEW LOOK A WAYS BACK. BY THE TIME I HAD MADE A 180 DEG TURN AND WAS OUT OF TURB AND IN VMC. UPON RECONNECTING WITH ATC; I WAS INFORMED THAT I WAS INVOLVED IN A SEPARATION INCIDENT AND TO CALL PHONE NUMBER WHEN I LANDED ASAP. I THEN TOLD HIM WHAT I DID; THE REASON; AND THEN ASKED FOR VECTORS TO A NEARBY ARPT TO MAKE THE PHONE CALL AND WAIT OUT THE THUNDERSTORM. IT WAS AS ADVERTISED; EXCEPT THE HAIL; HIGH WIND GUSTS; HEAVY RAIN; THUNDERSTORM AND POOR VISIBILITY. HE HAD ME ON A HDG INTO THE THUNDERSTORM AND TURB AND I TOOK THE INITIATIVE AND RPTED NOT TO ENTER THE STORM GUST FRONT IN THE INTEREST OF SAFETY. THE ACFT I WAS FLYING IS A PIPER CHEYENNE; WITH ALL EQUIPMENT OPERABLE RADAR AND GPS INCLUDED.
Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.