Small Aircraft; Low Wing; 1 Eng; Fixed Gear
Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Multiengine; Flight Crew Flight Instructor; Flight Crew Commercial
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 70; Flight Crew Total 1300; Flight Crew Type 70
Situational Awareness
Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Inflight Event / Encounter Other / Unknown
Flight Crew Took Evasive Action
Human Factors; Environment - Non Weather Related
During flight; heavy smoke reduced the in-flight visibility to marginal VFR. While smoke was present for most of the flight; the visibility reduction was primarily between 2O7 and IYK. It was estimated that the in-flight visibility met VFR minimums; but it was marginal. All METAR reports along the way indicated VFR conditions; and conditions were better at lower altitudes. The pilot elected to descend to 3;500 ft. AGL and eventually 3;000 feet AGL to maintain visibility. The pilot was aware of the fire that had recently started and was contributing to the majority of the smoke; but not aware of the severity of the smoke. No PIREPS in the area indicated the severity. ADS-B and terrain avoidance systems were used to increase situational awareness in the degraded conditions. Ultimately; lack of information of the severity of the smoke led the pilot into a potentially hazardous environment. The hazard may have been better mitigated by delaying the flight to allow more satellite frames to be collected; showing the flow of the smoke in the Owens Valley. In the future; the PIC will be much more cautious in flying when smoke from wildfires is present.
Pilot reported encounter with heavy smoke from wildfires; resulting in descent to altitude necessitating terrain avoidance.