VFR flight in IMC. Non instrument rated pilot.

Attributes
ACN	114230
Time
Date	198906
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : tvt
State Reference	OH
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2300 msl bound upper : 2300
Environment
Flight Conditions	Marginal
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : mfd
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude 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 : 30 flight time total : 108 flight time type : 108
ASRS Report	114230
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	observation : passenger
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : vfr in imc inflight encounter : weather non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance none taken : unable other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

This was a return flight, VFR, from reading municipal airport (PA) to naper aeronautical LL10 (il). Decreasing broken ceilings lowered my cruising altitude from 8500' to 6500' at clarion VOR. Intermittent rain caused visibilities from 6-20 mi. 10 mi west of briggs VOR, overcast ceilings caused my cruise altitude to lower to 4500'. Light rain with some developing fog produced MVFR conditions with visibilities 5-10 mi. Mansfield airport was planned as a first fuel stop, but rain and fog were further reducing visibilities in that direction. I turned around to locate magnolia field 7.5 NM 140 degree from briggs VOR, for reference and possible landing if WX worsened. I located the airport from 3000' and decided that the WX was in fact improving in the mansfield direction. Climb to 4500' was successful and maintained in MVFR conditions until 5 NM southwest of wooster, oh. Rain became intermittent, but overcast ceiling forced aircraft operation less than 4000'. I considered heading back to magnolia field, but decided on holmes co airport west of millersburg, for fuel/services reasons. Rain had stopped, but clouds determined aircraft operation varying between 2500-3500'. Fog appeared to be developing rapidly close to the ground. The terrain was hills interspersed with ridges which rose some 800-900'. I located millersburg several times but could not find holmes airport. The low-time passenger aboard began to get less useful and more excited. I estimated 40 mins of fuel in the current tank and 25 in the other, but the climb and cloud/airport maneuvering used considerable fuel. When a cloud under the overcast layer forced me to 2300', I decided that it was less safe to fly low/slow/MVFR, than to climb to 4500' IMC, establish a level cruise altitude, 280 degree heading, and establish communication with mansfield center. (I have had recent IFR and simulator time.) I appraised ATC of my situation, switched radar vectoring to morrow co airport. Total time IMC was less than 10 mins. VFR conditions resumed approximately 3 NM wsw of londonville, oh. ATC provided the prompt, professional, and effective help I needed. I believe that the incident would have been avoided by heading back to magnolia field from the wooster decision point.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: VFR FLT IN IMC. NON INSTRUMENT RATED PLT.

Narrative: THIS WAS A RETURN FLT, VFR, FROM READING MUNI ARPT (PA) TO NAPER AERO LL10 (IL). DECREASING BROKEN CEILINGS LOWERED MY CRUISING ALT FROM 8500' TO 6500' AT CLARION VOR. INTERMITTENT RAIN CAUSED VISIBILITIES FROM 6-20 MI. 10 MI W OF BRIGGS VOR, OVERCAST CEILINGS CAUSED MY CRUISE ALT TO LOWER TO 4500'. LIGHT RAIN WITH SOME DEVELOPING FOG PRODUCED MVFR CONDITIONS WITH VISIBILITIES 5-10 MI. MANSFIELD ARPT WAS PLANNED AS A FIRST FUEL STOP, BUT RAIN AND FOG WERE FURTHER REDUCING VISIBILITIES IN THAT DIRECTION. I TURNED AROUND TO LOCATE MAGNOLIA FIELD 7.5 NM 140 DEG FROM BRIGGS VOR, FOR REFERENCE AND POSSIBLE LNDG IF WX WORSENED. I LOCATED THE ARPT FROM 3000' AND DECIDED THAT THE WX WAS IN FACT IMPROVING IN THE MANSFIELD DIRECTION. CLIMB TO 4500' WAS SUCCESSFUL AND MAINTAINED IN MVFR CONDITIONS UNTIL 5 NM SW OF WOOSTER, OH. RAIN BECAME INTERMITTENT, BUT OVERCAST CEILING FORCED ACFT OPERATION LESS THAN 4000'. I CONSIDERED HDG BACK TO MAGNOLIA FIELD, BUT DECIDED ON HOLMES CO ARPT W OF MILLERSBURG, FOR FUEL/SERVICES REASONS. RAIN HAD STOPPED, BUT CLOUDS DETERMINED ACFT OPERATION VARYING BETWEEN 2500-3500'. FOG APPEARED TO BE DEVELOPING RAPIDLY CLOSE TO THE GND. THE TERRAIN WAS HILLS INTERSPERSED WITH RIDGES WHICH ROSE SOME 800-900'. I LOCATED MILLERSBURG SEVERAL TIMES BUT COULD NOT FIND HOLMES ARPT. THE LOW-TIME PAX ABOARD BEGAN TO GET LESS USEFUL AND MORE EXCITED. I ESTIMATED 40 MINS OF FUEL IN THE CURRENT TANK AND 25 IN THE OTHER, BUT THE CLIMB AND CLOUD/ARPT MANEUVERING USED CONSIDERABLE FUEL. WHEN A CLOUD UNDER THE OVERCAST LAYER FORCED ME TO 2300', I DECIDED THAT IT WAS LESS SAFE TO FLY LOW/SLOW/MVFR, THAN TO CLIMB TO 4500' IMC, ESTABLISH A LEVEL CRUISE ALT, 280 DEG HDG, AND ESTABLISH COM WITH MANSFIELD CENTER. (I HAVE HAD RECENT IFR AND SIMULATOR TIME.) I APPRAISED ATC OF MY SITUATION, SWITCHED RADAR VECTORING TO MORROW CO ARPT. TOTAL TIME IMC WAS LESS THAN 10 MINS. VFR CONDITIONS RESUMED APPROX 3 NM WSW OF LONDONVILLE, OH. ATC PROVIDED THE PROMPT, PROFESSIONAL, AND EFFECTIVE HELP I NEEDED. I BELIEVE THAT THE INCIDENT WOULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED BY HDG BACK TO MAGNOLIA FIELD FROM THE WOOSTER DECISION POINT.

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.