GA small aircraft VFR in IMC. Pilot was not certificated for IFR flight.

Attributes
ACN	121620
Time
Date	198908
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : ukt
State Reference	PA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2000 msl bound upper : 8000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : abe
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 30 flight time total : 175
ASRS Report	121620
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : departure
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : vfr in imc non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I took off from ukt. Philadelphia was reporting 8000 ovc and allentown was reporting 1100 ovc. I believed I had about 2000 ovc and there was a plane in the pattern at ukt. I departed after I got up to 1200 and leveled off to maintain cloud clearance. I cruised for about 5-10 mi and suddenly I was IMC. I had called allentown for VFR clearance. At that point I made them aware of my situation, they gave me a minimum vectoring altitude and tried to find room VFR between the layers. After he couldn't find VFR except at about 8000' he asked if I had any IFR training. I said I was trained and would be going for my rating soon. Then he asked if I wanted to return to ukt. I said if it was possible I would like to try and make it through to at least hartford, ct. He told me to stand by, then he gave me a clearance and handed me off to new york and told me that new york was aware of my situation. New york gave me a telephone number to call allentown when I landed, then I continued to fly the clrncs given by controllers. I was given vectors to the final for the lda runway 32 brainard. I broke out at 2500 and asked if I could go VFR to ash (nashua). The controller asked why I filed to brainard and said I would have to cancel IFR and go VFR. At that time I realized I was on a full IFR flight plan. So I cancelled IFR and returned safely to nashua.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GA SMA VFR IN IMC. PLT WAS NOT CERTIFICATED FOR IFR FLT.

Narrative: I TOOK OFF FROM UKT. PHILADELPHIA WAS REPORTING 8000 OVC AND ALLENTOWN WAS REPORTING 1100 OVC. I BELIEVED I HAD ABOUT 2000 OVC AND THERE WAS A PLANE IN THE PATTERN AT UKT. I DEPARTED AFTER I GOT UP TO 1200 AND LEVELED OFF TO MAINTAIN CLOUD CLRNC. I CRUISED FOR ABOUT 5-10 MI AND SUDDENLY I WAS IMC. I HAD CALLED ALLENTOWN FOR VFR CLRNC. AT THAT POINT I MADE THEM AWARE OF MY SITUATION, THEY GAVE ME A MINIMUM VECTORING ALT AND TRIED TO FIND ROOM VFR BETWEEN THE LAYERS. AFTER HE COULDN'T FIND VFR EXCEPT AT ABOUT 8000' HE ASKED IF I HAD ANY IFR TRAINING. I SAID I WAS TRAINED AND WOULD BE GOING FOR MY RATING SOON. THEN HE ASKED IF I WANTED TO RETURN TO UKT. I SAID IF IT WAS POSSIBLE I WOULD LIKE TO TRY AND MAKE IT THROUGH TO AT LEAST HARTFORD, CT. HE TOLD ME TO STAND BY, THEN HE GAVE ME A CLRNC AND HANDED ME OFF TO NEW YORK AND TOLD ME THAT NEW YORK WAS AWARE OF MY SITUATION. NEW YORK GAVE ME A TELEPHONE NUMBER TO CALL ALLENTOWN WHEN I LANDED, THEN I CONTINUED TO FLY THE CLRNCS GIVEN BY CTLRS. I WAS GIVEN VECTORS TO THE FINAL FOR THE LDA RWY 32 BRAINARD. I BROKE OUT AT 2500 AND ASKED IF I COULD GO VFR TO ASH (NASHUA). THE CTLR ASKED WHY I FILED TO BRAINARD AND SAID I WOULD HAVE TO CANCEL IFR AND GO VFR. AT THAT TIME I REALIZED I WAS ON A FULL IFR FLT PLAN. SO I CANCELLED IFR AND RETURNED SAFELY TO NASHUA.

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.