PA-28R Cherokee Arrow All Series
Air Traffic Control Fully Certified
Air Traffic Control Time Certified In Pos 1 (yrs) 24
Situational Awareness
ATC Issue All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Inflight Event / Encounter VFR In IMC
Air Traffic Control Issued Advisory / Alert; Air Traffic Control Provided Assistance; Air Traffic Control Issued New Clearance; Flight Crew Became Reoriented; Flight Crew Landed in Emergency Condition; Flight Crew Requested ATC Assistance / Clarification
Aircraft; Human Factors; Weather
In my duties as a Quality Control Specialist I investigated a Mandatory Occurrence Report (MOR). The MOR was correctly classified as 'Emergency - VFR pilot in or trapped on top of clouds'. The narrative of the MOR indicated that the pilot had been issued the Brasher Warning informing the pilot of a possible pilot deviation; and the pilot was given the phone number of the ARTCC watch desk. The regional Quality Control office requested an audio file of the event; which I attached to the MOR. In addition to the audio file; I created a Falcon 3 (Radar Data replay) with voice to document the event. My initial reading of the MOR (which I believed was a chronological narrative of events) indicated that the Brasher Warning was issued to the aircraft after his safe arrival at one of the airports suggested by the controller. When I reviewed the radar and audio data; I discovered the controller appears to have been directed to read the Brasher Warning to the pilot while he was still attempting to descend below the cloud layers and safely proceed to one of the destinations suggested by the controller. I believe that management's directive to the controller to issue the Brasher Warning to an aircraft encountering weather difficulty; and was being treated as an emergency situation by the controller; resulted in a severe safety of flight issue. I request that all facilities nationwide add a monthly Safety Awareness Discussion item stressing the non-issuance of the Brasher Warning to any aircraft in a critical phase of flight; or involved in an Emergency or Urgency situation (without regard to whether the situation is pilot; controller; or owner initiated).
ZME ARTCC Controller reported a VFR aircraft encountering IMC weather was assisted by ATC to a safe landing. The brasher warning was issued to the pilot as assistance was being provided.