2006-04 · NASA ASRS report 693541
BELL 206 PLT ENCOUNTERS LOW CEILINGS AND VISIBILITY; ELECTS TO DO AN 'OFF FIELD LNDG' AND WAIT FOR THE WX TO PASS PRIOR TO CONTINUING TO DEST.
WE LIFTED OFF THE SITE TO APPROX 500 FT AGL AND STARTED TO FLY E AROUND THE CITY OF COEUR D'ALENE ENRTE TO THE AIRFIELD FOR FUEL (WE HAD 25 GALLONS/1 HR ON BOARD). THE AIRFIELD WAS IN SIGHT FROM 5 NM AWAY AND A CEILING I ESTIMATED AT 4000 FT MSL. I TUNED ASOS ON AND IT WAS RPTING A 100 FT OVCST. SINCE I COULDN'T LEGALLY OPERATE IN CLASS B AIRSPACE; I LANDED IN AN OPEN; UNDEVELOPED FIELD AT THE END OF A STREET (CLOSEST VEHICLE A STEAM ROLLER 500 YARDS AWAY). I WAITED 20 MINS ON THE GND TO WAIT FOR THE HVY RAIN SHOWER TO PASS. I POPPED UP TO LISTEN TO ASOS. I COULD SEE THE AIRFIELD; AGAIN ESTIMATED THE CEILING 4000-4500 FT MSL AND THE SHOWER HAD MOVED WELL N OF THE AIRFIELD; BUT THE ASOS WAS STILL RECORDING/RPTING 100 FT OVCST. I MADE THE ASSUMPTION THAT THE ASOS WAS MALFUNCTIONING; FLEW A NORMAL PATTERN AND LNDG AT THE COE ARPT TO OBTAIN FUEL FOR THE LAST LEG OF THE FLT. AT NO TIME DURING THIS EVENT DID I OBSERVE THE CEILING GO BELOW 1000 FT. WHEN THE RAINSHOWER WAS DIRECTLY OVER THE AIRFIELD; THE VISIBILITY WAS REDUCED. AT NO TIME WAS MY FLT VISIBILITY LESS THAN 5 NM OR WAS THE CEILING LESS THAN 1500 FT AGL.
Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.
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