Forest Fire Burn Areas and IFR Flight

 Flew the Comanche IFR home from Little Bear Lake last Monday.  It was a relatively simple uncontrolled IFR departure from CKL6, obtain a clearance before entering controlled airspace from Winnipeg Centre, and RNAV 33 GNSS approach into Saskatoon.  However, a number of mistakes were made:

• did not use my IFR checklist on departure from CKL6
• did not set my directional gyro before departure
• entered IFR conditions while in a climbing right hand turn at about 1000 feet
• briefed the wrong RNP 33 approach instead of GNSS 33 and could not find the clearance waypoint

I really have no excuse for not using the checklist - I wasn't in a rush.  By the time we left in the afternoon the weather had cleared up to about six miles of visibility and 1000 foot ceiling, and it looked like a simple VFR departure.  I had all the time in the world and should have used my list.

As a result, the directional gyro wasn't set on the ground, and I got confused soon after entering IMC.  I was in a climbing right hand turn on initial entry and by the time I transitioned to instruments I was in a level left-hand turn and was disoriented about my heading.  This caused a few seconds of general disorientation until I realized what was happening, levelled the wings and flew straight until everything sorted itself, and set the gyro.  No issues after that.

The initial clearance and IFR flight was simple enough although I improvised the readback.  I really must just read it back verbatim.  I also didn't write it down as I wasn't using my checklist.  Although it was simple enough:  cleared direct Saskatoon via present position, climb and maintain 6000, squawk 4727.  Hard to get that wrong.

During the initial approach I monitored the weather and traffic and was able to determine that 33 was the active.  I loaded the instrument 33 approach in my iPad, but selected RNP 33 in error.  When I received my initial clearance to the VIVUN way point (on the GNSS) I was very confused and ended up wasting people's time while I figured it out.

Eventually I was able to get it, and was able to make the approach properly.  Relatively simple except for tower's request to notify them when the runway was in sight.  I was watching the needles and I should have kept my concentration there.  Never went above half deflection but I should have had Anne-Marie watch for the runway through the smoke.  Visibility was about 3 miles in smoke although the ceiling was high enough.

So the takeaway from this:

• Use your checklist,
• Don't look at RNP procedures, and
• Enter IMC with the wings level and transition to instruments before entering,

Some pictures of the burn marks from forest fires on the way up and a view of the runway on final.

Near Steepbank Lake

East Trout Lake on the Horizon