Instrument Training, Long X-Country Experience on Saturday

[Brantel]

Got to do my long "Instrument Rating Cross Country" yesturday and it was a great experience and a huge opportunity to learn.

Started out from KMOR and the vis was about 3 miles no ceiling, as we pressed on to KLOZ for our first leg, the clouds began to build and soon we were in true IMC conditions (my first ever real IMC). As we got closer, I could not tune or ID the vor for the ILS at KLOZ (its on the missed proc) and about that time Center informed us that it just went inop. This left us with no options at this airport because we did not have an approach certified GPS. Faced with this issue meant we had to deviate to another airport so in IMC, I got to experience a change in plans. Picked a new destination that fit the equipment we had available and amended our flight plan in the air and recieved a clearance to the new destination KSME. Lots of work to do there in a really short time to get setup for the new destination and the new approach. Anyway got in there just fine.

On the ground at KSME required some new flight planing (due to the inop vor was part of our intended route) from KSME to KVJI. Our new route had to be longer because of the need to find another navaid to use to get there, this required a new flight plan filing.

Had to pickup clearance in the air there and we were cleared as filed to KVJI. All the way to KVJI was IMC in the clouds! Let me tell you that most of this flight was over mountainous terain. KVJI is kind of down in a valley so you must be very mindfull of your altitude and position. When we arrived at KVJI, the NDB was inop that locates the IAF for the LOC approach, but lucky for us, their is also a crossfix available to ID the IAF.

Broke out at KVJI at about 2900ft (2820 MDA) and landed safely.

Our flight back to KMOR about an hour later was about the same with low vis and clouds but we were able to stay just below the bases at 4000ft. Could not see squat due to the <3 mile vis.

Did a SDF and a NDB approach at KMOR and called it a day.

4.7 hours of IMC in a 172. Whew what a day.

Good training and experience!

[Brantel]

I have sad news to report that the plane that crashed in East TN Saturday carrying 5 JW ministers was inbound to KVJI from another airport (0A9) about 15 miles SW of KVJI. While we waited for fuel at KVJI, we saw the people there that were very concerned about why they had not arrived yet. Later we found out that they never did show up.

The preliminary and unofficial info is that the instrument rated pilot was not on an IFR flight plan and took of on RW6 at 0A9 and turned left on course direct to HMV vortac. The departure proceedure for 0A9 specifically prohibits IFR departures on RW6 due to terrain. We know the bases were about 2900ft and the top of the mountain he hit is about 4400 ft and the wreckage was found at about 3400ft. The concensus is that he must have entered IMC and the CFIT was the result. I flew this route on the simulator and followed the same route and hit the mountain at about 3500 ft while doing a max performance climb in the sim172.

The pilot was from my home base KMOR.

God be with their souls and comfort their families.

[captain_john]

Brantel,

That is so sad indeed.

Yesterday I saw an elderly couple (with PAX!) take off out of Plymouth in a 172 GROSSLY overloaded. They dipped below the treeline and I expected the worst. They gained airspeed in the dip and CIRCLED BACK AROUND to the intersecting runway!

I was shocked at how he then explained that the plane didn't have enough power!

To an even greater extent than the land or the sea, the sky is least forgiving to carelessness and neglect.

Let's all try to be the best we can be.

CJ