Descent into IMC on VFR flight.

Attributes
ACN	106819
Time
Date	198903
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : rbv
State Reference	NJ
Altitude	msl bound lower : 5200 msl bound upper : 7000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : wri
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other descent other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 45 flight time total : 140
ASRS Report	106819
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : vfr in imc non adherence : far non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Aircraft proceeding northeast to morristown VFR at 9500' receiving advisories from ZDC. Advised center we were descending to 3500'. Center terminated flight following and suggested mc guire approach. We established contact with mc guire as we started descent through a broken layer with tops at approximately 7000'. Mc guire told us to stop descent at 5500' for traffic. At that point we were descending through a large hole in otherwise overcast conditions (forecast and last phl sequence report were scattered to broken layer). We could not stop descent west/O entering IMC until we were below the base of clouds at 5200'. As a low time VFR pilot, I believed lesser evil was to descend below altitude limitation rather than enter IMC and risk loss of control. The problem arose because of several conditions: 1) I chose a poor place to initiate descent. Conditions throughout the area were generally scattered, but in the area of my descent were tightly broken. 2) center would not or could not hand me off to mc guire approach when I started descent. By the time contact was established with mc guire and I was given an altitude restriction, I could not level off nor climb west/O entering IMC.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DESCENT INTO IMC ON VFR FLT.

Narrative: ACFT PROCEEDING NE TO MORRISTOWN VFR AT 9500' RECEIVING ADVISORIES FROM ZDC. ADVISED CENTER WE WERE DSNDING TO 3500'. CENTER TERMINATED FLT FOLLOWING AND SUGGESTED MC GUIRE APCH. WE ESTABLISHED CONTACT WITH MC GUIRE AS WE STARTED DSCNT THROUGH A BROKEN LAYER WITH TOPS AT APPROX 7000'. MC GUIRE TOLD US TO STOP DSCNT AT 5500' FOR TFC. AT THAT POINT WE WERE DSNDING THROUGH A LARGE HOLE IN OTHERWISE OVCST CONDITIONS (FORECAST AND LAST PHL SEQUENCE RPT WERE SCATTERED TO BROKEN LAYER). WE COULD NOT STOP DSCNT W/O ENTERING IMC UNTIL WE WERE BELOW THE BASE OF CLOUDS AT 5200'. AS A LOW TIME VFR PLT, I BELIEVED LESSER EVIL WAS TO DSND BELOW ALT LIMITATION RATHER THAN ENTER IMC AND RISK LOSS OF CONTROL. THE PROB AROSE BECAUSE OF SEVERAL CONDITIONS: 1) I CHOSE A POOR PLACE TO INITIATE DSCNT. CONDITIONS THROUGHOUT THE AREA WERE GENERALLY SCATTERED, BUT IN THE AREA OF MY DSCNT WERE TIGHTLY BROKEN. 2) CENTER WOULD NOT OR COULD NOT HAND ME OFF TO MC GUIRE APCH WHEN I STARTED DSCNT. BY THE TIME CONTACT WAS ESTABLISHED WITH MC GUIRE AND I WAS GIVEN AN ALT RESTRICTION, I COULD NOT LEVEL OFF NOR CLB W/O ENTERING IMC.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.