From: schoen@slcs.slb.com (Eric Schoen)
Newsgroups: rec.aviation
Subject: The almost making of a statistic (long)
Date: 13 Apr 92 18:14:33 GMT
Distribution: na
Organization: Schlumberger Laboratory for Computer Science
Originator: schoen@sigmet


Last week, I experienced a very chilling flight from Austin to Lafayette,
Louisiana.  No problems on my part, but I was involved in relaying
communications between Houston Center and a Cherokee whose pilot was
clearly in over his head.  A low pressure system moving up the Texas Gulf
Coast had brought low ceilings, heavy rain, and poor visibility to Central
and Southeast Texas.  It was also a very dark night, and I was flying over
what looked like a relatively sparsely populated region. (At least, when I
broke out of clouds on occasion, it was dark down there.)

I was proceeding eastbound towards the Lufkin VOR at 7000' in the clouds,
dark, rain, and continuous light chop, when I heard the Houston Center
controller offer a no-gyro steer to a IFR Cherokee in the area.  The pilot
was having trouble complying with the controller's instructions, clearly
unable to control his plane without AI and DG.  He was very confused.  He
kept asking the controller if he was turning.  He was able to descend to
2500, which I guess was the minimum instrument altitude in that area, and
reentered VFR mostly (he went IFR once and the controller strongly advised
him to maintain VFR).  He didn't know where he was, but was for a few
minutes adamant that he wanted to go to Lufkin.  Unfortunately, he was
below radar coverage at that altitude, so the controller was unable to
vector him.

The controller suggested he go to an airport near to his last radar
position, which the pilot finally agreed to (after lots unclear
transmissions about wanting to go to Lufkin).  At that point, the
controller lost contact with him, and asked me to relay communications.  I
talked to the pilot for what seemed like 45 minutes.

He was lost, and unable to locate himself by means that I thought every
private pilot learned.  He did not understand how a DF steer worked, and he
could not locate himself by cross-referencing two nearby VORs.  He spent
some time orbiting a city looking for the airport the controller had
mentioned.  It became clear he was not orbiting the right city.

We eventually got him to understand that he had to transmit and talk in
order for the DF steer to work.  We also talked him through determining his
bearing relative to two nearby VORs.  In the time he had been lost, he had
flown northwest about 25 nm and was no longer near where the controller had
last pegged him on radar.  We gave him an idea of where he was and he was
at last able to find a town with an airport.

When Houston Center was done with me, they thanked me and gave me a number
to call collect when I landed.  They also had me tell the Cherokee pilot to
phone them...  I asked that they relay to him for me that he should never
do that again!  (The phone number they gave me was that of the Lufkin FSS,
who also wanted to thank me [for my professionalism].  That felt nice.)

*** SOAPBOX MODE ON ***
This guy had no business flying IFR, working gyros or not.  I can't believe
he was rated.  I know he's not alone in doing it...the
continued-VFR-into-IFR accident statistics tell the story. It was very
upsetting sitting almost helpless in my plane hoping that he could find a
place to land himself and (I believe) his passengers.  Rec.aviators would
never do this, but if you know of someone who does this, please stop them.
*** SOAPBOX MODE OFF ***

Cheers,
Eric

-- 
Eric Schoen
Schlumberger Laboratory for Computer Science 
Internet: schoen@slcs.slb.com   In the air: N201DR
USMail: P.O. Box 200015, Austin, TX, 78720-0015