Fri Dec 19, 2008 5:09 pm
#690786
Recently about mid-morning, I popped into my local airfield for a chat with some of the fellow pilots. But also if the weather was ok, to get a short currency flight in before Christmas as the weather forecast for the next week or so looked wet and windy. I had obtained the necessary notam’s and TAF’s etc before leaving home. The TAF looked ok. Arriving at the airfield (full ATC) the ATIS was reporting: wind 300/3, visibility 8k, cloud broken at 1100ft. Hmm, not too good. After an hour: wind 300/4, visibility 8k, but the cloud had lifted to 2500ft and rising. As the flight that I wanted to do was only about 20 miles away, land, have a quick bite to eat and return, I decided to give it a go. About 5 minutes after taking-off and setting course for the other airfield the visibility all around me suddenly dropped. I immediately thought of doing a 180° and heading back, when it improved again and wasn’t too bad. I was at 1500ft, and approaching the airfield climbed to 2000ft for an overhead join. This was about the visibility limit with the ground. Anyway, I landed ok, paid my landing fee, and went into the cafeteria for some lunch. It took the staff about ¾ hour to serve my lunch as the cafeteria was very busy. Whilst waiting, I was getting a little agitated as I wanted to get going again, back to my base airfield. After quickly devouring my lunch, I checked out the aircraft and went on my merry way. About half way back the visibility suddenly become poor and I descended from 2000ft to 1300ft. This was better but not good. I called up the Approach controller of my base airfield for a flight information service and landing instructions. He said to report at one our local reporting points. I acknowledged and continued hoping the visibility wasn’t going to get any worse. With a sigh of relief, after a short time the reporting point came into view and I reported my position to the Approach controller. The controller said that the airfield was very busy at the moment and instructed me to hold at the VRP. I acknowledged and started to orbit. Being anxious to return to the airfield, I reported orbit complete after the first orbit. The controller said that they were still busy and to hold at the VRP and he would call me. Just then another pilot reported that he was heading for the same VRP but the controller advised him of the situation. The other pilot said that he would hold away from the VRP. After completing my next orbit the controller instructed me to make my way towards the airfield for a left base join. With a sigh of relief I set course for the airfield. The controller then instructed me to contact the Tower. After calling the TWR, the TWR instructed me to widen out the base leg to a locally known feature (3½ miles out, in line with the runway), as they had a number of aircraft that they needed to get in the air. I acknowledged and altered my heading. Also the controller instructed 2 aircraft behind to follow me. I could barely see the ground and nothing in front. After about 2 – 3 minutes the visibility got suddenly worse with the ground disappearing altogether. I descended 100ft to see if it was any better and the GPS, which I fortunately had with me started flashing a terrain warning. I quickly explored my options (which wasn’t many). I was about to turn around onto the runway heading and call the TWR Controller of my intention, when the visibility became slightly better and I spotted the feature point in front of me. I turned onto runway heading and headed towards the airfield. After a short time I could make out the runway lights (time 14:45). I called the controller and was instructed to continue approach. As I was starting my descent I notice a large twin aircraft with all it’s lights on, back-tracking towards me on the runway. I slowed down as much as I dare to allow it to turn around and take-off. I was now down to about 300ft and it still hadn’t lifted off. Just then, it lifted off and I was expecting a call from the TWR, but another aircraft called the TWR and the controller decided to acknowledge his call. By this time I was at about 100ft and decided to go around. As I was about to put in my going-around call, the TWR controller called me with cleared to land. I replied that I was going around. When turning downwind, I put in my downwind call and the controller informed me that I was number 4 and instructed me to extend downwind. I kept quite tight in to the airfield so as I could keep sight of the runway. After extending sometime downwind, I was expecting a call from the controller but it never came. I called the controller to say that I was very late downwind. He instructed me to turn base which I did immediately. I tightened up the base leg to hopefully get back to the airfield as soon as I could. When calling final, the controller instructed me to continue approach and expect a late landing clearance. I acknowledged, and in the descent I noticed an aircraft at the runway threshold waiting to take-off. I slowed my aircraft right down, and as it was a long runway I decided to land long to give the other aircraft time to get airborne. As the other aircraft lifted off, the controller gave me clearance to land. I was at about 100ft. A decent landing followed, and I taxied back to the parking area (phew, safe at last).
One of my lessons learnt: To look at the weather forecast properly, and to consider that in winter time when the sun sets early in the afternoon, mists etc can build up very quickly. In my case I think the clue was also in the wind speed (3 – 4 kts).
Another problem I had was, that around the airfield area a 180° turn wasn’t an option as I had other aircraft following me that I couldn’t see.
I think maybe, I ought to have called it a day earlier in the flight, and not visited the other airfield. A clue was in the patch of bad visibility encountered on route to the other airfield. I have coped with navigating around various weather patterns quite a bit, but this was a very bad experience hopefully never to be repeated. I am always very careful when planning a flight and ebb on the safe side, but this time it was a case of:- “if the weather is looking ok when I get to the airfield, I’ll probably have a flight” --- not a good thing to do, it could have killed me.
Licence: NPPL (SSEA)
(IMC Rating: Not allowed)
(Night Rating: Not allowed)
POB: 1
Hours: 95
Aircraft: C150
Mode ‘S’ Transponder was fitted and squawking mode Charlie. If nothing else, the controller new where I was. I did hear him make reference to my position when calling other aircraft.
I hope others will please learn from the above, and not have the same very bad experience that I did. Remember, the flight was only 20 miles, and the worst part was in perhaps the 5 miles around the airfield. The place where you usually feel most comfortable.
One of my lessons learnt: To look at the weather forecast properly, and to consider that in winter time when the sun sets early in the afternoon, mists etc can build up very quickly. In my case I think the clue was also in the wind speed (3 – 4 kts).
Another problem I had was, that around the airfield area a 180° turn wasn’t an option as I had other aircraft following me that I couldn’t see.
I think maybe, I ought to have called it a day earlier in the flight, and not visited the other airfield. A clue was in the patch of bad visibility encountered on route to the other airfield. I have coped with navigating around various weather patterns quite a bit, but this was a very bad experience hopefully never to be repeated. I am always very careful when planning a flight and ebb on the safe side, but this time it was a case of:- “if the weather is looking ok when I get to the airfield, I’ll probably have a flight” --- not a good thing to do, it could have killed me.
Licence: NPPL (SSEA)
(IMC Rating: Not allowed)
(Night Rating: Not allowed)
POB: 1
Hours: 95
Aircraft: C150
Mode ‘S’ Transponder was fitted and squawking mode Charlie. If nothing else, the controller new where I was. I did hear him make reference to my position when calling other aircraft.
I hope others will please learn from the above, and not have the same very bad experience that I did. Remember, the flight was only 20 miles, and the worst part was in perhaps the 5 miles around the airfield. The place where you usually feel most comfortable.
