2006-04 · NASA ASRS report 694571
A NON CURRENT IFR RATED PLT FLYING AN OUT OF IFR CURRENCY PA28 ENCOUNTERED IMC ON A VFR FLT PLAN AND REFUSED IFR SUBSEQUENTLY INTERFERING WITH IFR TFC.
I WAS ON A VFR FLT PLAN ABOVE NORFOLK; VA; AIRSPACE HEADING S TALKING TO NORFOLK. I CHKED WX BEFORE LEAVING AND CHKING WX AS I WENT ALONG ON AWAS AND ATIS BECAUSE UNABLE TO GET WX ON 122.0. EVERYTHING WAS GOING FINE; VISIBILITY WAS ABOUT 10 MI; WENT DOWN TO 6 MI OVER THE WATER IN THE BAY. I WAS AT 6500 FT; THE ATIS AHEAD AT NORFOLK SAID 3800 FT I DECIDED TO GO UNDER IT. I ASKED CTLR IF I COULD CIRCLE DOWN BELOW THE CEILING. SHE SAID OK. I GOT DOWN TO 2000 FT AND NO VFR CONDITIONS TOWARDS MY RTE. SHE ASKED ME IF I WANTED TO FILE AN IFR CLRNC. I SAID I AM IFR RATED BUT I WANTED TO STAY VFR. SHE TOLD ME TO TAKE A HDG OF 180 DEGS. I DID FOR AS LONG AS I COULD. THE CLOUDS STARTED TO INCREASE SO I TURNED AWAY AND TOLD HER I WOULD BE IN IFR CONDITIONS IF I STAYED ON THAT HDG. SHE ASKED ME AGAIN IF I WANTED TO FILE IFR OR LAND AT NORFOLK. I DECLINED AND SAID I WANTED TO STAY VFR. I COULDN'T FIND THE BOTTOM OF THE CEILING; IT WAS LIKE A WALL OF CLOUDS AHEAD; SO I CIRCLED UP PLANNING TO TURN BACK AND LAND IN MARYLAND; BUT I FOUND VFR CONDITIONS ON TOP AND WENT BACK ON COURSE BECAUSE MY DEST WAS 12000 FT SCATTERED AND UNRESTR VISIBILITY. I CAUSED THE CTLR TO DIVERT TFC AWAY FROM MY AREA SCREWING UP THE AIRSPACE FOR MANY PEOPLE. I AM SORRY. I DID WHAT I THOUGHT WAS SAFE AT THE TIME. I AM AN IFR RATED PLT OUT OF CURRENCY AND MY PLANE WAS DUE FOR THE BI-ANNUAL RADIO INSPECTION THE MONTH BEFORE. I DIDN'T WANT TO BREAK THE REGS; THAT IS WHY I STAYED VFR. I MADE A CALL TO THE RADIO SHOP FOR THE PLANE AND MY NEXT CALL IS TO MY INSTRUCTOR TO GET CURRENT. THIS WON'T HAPPEN AGAIN.
Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.
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