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Almost witnessed an accident.

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With respect to the legal issues, the reported ceiling listed in the first post of this thread was 300' variable to 1,100'. As special VFR only requires one mile visibility and clear of clouds, and we don't have any information on the prevailing visibility, there appears to be no legal issue with respect to the controllers actions. The pilot made a legitimate request, and it was granted.

The pilot did not require an instrument rating as the flight was not conducted under IFR. The controller is not required to determine if the pilot is instrument rated, or current. The pilot was required by the definition of special VFR, to remain clear of clouds, as specified by 14 CFR 91.157(b)(2).

This pilot entered clouds. Had he not entered clouds, we are not given to know if he would have completed the flight safely, or not. Certainly he would have stood a greater chance than going on instruments. He may have been able to conduct the flight legally and possibly safely had he not entered the clouds.

Regardless, there are few occasions when special VFR is warranted. More often than not, use of special VFR is really abuse of a situation that should be performed under IFR. For pilots who are not qualified to operate under IFR, the use of a special VFR clearance is questionable, as one is placing one's self in a real without backups; it's dangerous.

What this individual did was legal (until entering the clouds), but not safe. As is so often the case, what is legal is not necessarily safe and what is safe isn't always legal. Unless the flight is both legal and safe, it shouldn't be attempted.

Unfortunately, when an individual comes this close and survives, often it provides the false confidence to try to get away with it again. It's times like this that bystanders have an obligation to contact their nearest aviation safety counselor or the FSDO directly, for intervention. The FAA has some rough points and calling them is (or should be) a tough choice for most pilots--certainly professionals. However, in this case, this flight represents a big part fo the function of inspectors, or the aviation safety manager. This individual needs some enforced encouragement at remedial training before his young son doesn't get to grow up to know his father.

Andy, if you happen to see this individual at the airport again, do everyone a favor and let the air out of his tires before he hurts or kills someone. Cleansing the gene pool shouldn't include his children or innocents on the ground. Stupid pilot tricks aren't inherited; they're self-taught.
 
What's that word I'm looking for?...

Oh yeah, I remember now..."stupid"
Bottom line is this guy showed EXTREMELY poor judment, let's hope he realizes how lucky he is and becomes a better pilot because of it.
How does that saying go? Good judment comes from bad experience. Let's hope this is the case here.
I agree with Avbug too, child abuse!
 
Me and one of my buds were driving back to the airport one scuzzy saturday morning.We were stopped at a stop sign,when an Arrow materialized out of the fog ,gear down about 50' and passed right over us-I thought he was gonna hit us ! We were about 1/2 mile from the runway perpendicular to it.After he landed,they sat there on
the ramp for 20 minutes or so,then the guy's wife gets out ,heads to the bathroom and has a loud ralphing session.I identify myself as an ASC for the local FSDO and asked him if he was instrument rated.He replied that he was.Now,the wx was at or below mins for the ILS and I asked him if he was aware that he was circling on the wrong side of the airport,and he said he was aware of that,but he had missed the ILS twice and the third time he just stayed at DH,saw the runway (way past the marker-about midfield !) and circled to the left to keep it in sight ! I said we saw you at about 50' and he says "Oh,no-I was at 300' or so",so I said how is that possible when you missed the ILS twice ? I SAW YOU-I could read "Bendix" on the brakes ! He had no good answer for that.Oh,and he was heading to Ohio,where the wx was a full-blown winter storm ! I couldn't make him change his mind,but his wife took the airlines home.I called our ASPM and told him the scoop.I hope he scared himself enough to not try that again.
 
There is a time and a place for just about everything allowed by the regulations.

This thread has shined a negative light on Special VFR clearances. Today I requested and was granted 3 different specials. Two where in a C-207 both a departure and an arrival, one was in a Beech 99. The weather was something along the lines of 1500OVC 1-1/2 miles in blowing snow. 100' above the ground the vis went to about 5 miles. The special allowed me to operate the 207 carrying passengers. I could have gone IFR in the Beech, but in the remote location I operate, it sometimes becomes difficult to maintain contact with the center controller. Twice in the last month I've been in a situation where I have lost contact with center before receiving an approach clearance. One time I was able to get another aircraft to relay for me, the other we where able to contact Fairbanks radio through an RCO and they relayed the clearance.

I'm not trying to say that everyone should request a special in all situations where it's legal. However, I will vehemently defend it as a valuable tool in the region my company operates.
 

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