Narrative:

VFR flight from I44 to mwo. Reported at time 1400' ceiling, 7 mi visibility. Upon takeoff at 2000', northwest I44 became overcast, fog underneath, VFR on top. Called day approach to be vectored to a VFR airport. WX up and down. Worked with day approach for approximately 40 mins, then requested approach to dayton municipal airport. Advised by controller earlier could not give approach since not instrument rated. After about 30 mins of flight VFR on top with no airports opening and with minimum holes, decided best safety was to ask for approach. Though not instrument rated, have flown with other instrument pilots, both instrument instrs, and felt competent to make proper approach and landing, believing to be proper decision for pilot and aircraft. No other occupants aboard, no other aircraft involved. In subsequent phone call, approach radar facility concurred with decision. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: reporter said he received a formal WX briefing from day FSS covering the short flight planned, not a recording. Immediately after takeoff, encountered layer and had to climb to stay VFR. WX closed behind so it turned out he had taken off through a hole. Declared emergency after fruitless effort by day TRACON to find a VFR airport in vicinity and received very good flight assist service. FAA evidently investigation occurrence and requiring extensive (per reporter) paperwork from reporter, but has been led to believe no violation to be filed. Verified 9 hours in small transport type aircraft, but approximately 8000 total as private pilot. This occurrence has led reporter to undertake instrument training.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMT WITH NON-INSTRUMENT RATED PLT CAUGHT ON TOP AND HAS TO DECLARE EMERGENCY AND GET FLT ASSISTANCE TO LAND SAFELY.

Narrative: VFR FLT FROM I44 TO MWO. RPTED AT TIME 1400' CEILING, 7 MI VISIBILITY. UPON TKOF AT 2000', NW I44 BECAME OVCST, FOG UNDERNEATH, VFR ON TOP. CALLED DAY APCH TO BE VECTORED TO A VFR ARPT. WX UP AND DOWN. WORKED WITH DAY APCH FOR APPROX 40 MINS, THEN REQUESTED APCH TO DAYTON MUNICIPAL ARPT. ADVISED BY CTLR EARLIER COULD NOT GIVE APCH SINCE NOT INSTRUMENT RATED. AFTER ABOUT 30 MINS OF FLT VFR ON TOP WITH NO ARPTS OPENING AND WITH MINIMUM HOLES, DECIDED BEST SAFETY WAS TO ASK FOR APCH. THOUGH NOT INSTRUMENT RATED, HAVE FLOWN WITH OTHER INSTRUMENT PLTS, BOTH INSTRUMENT INSTRS, AND FELT COMPETENT TO MAKE PROPER APCH AND LNDG, BELIEVING TO BE PROPER DECISION FOR PLT AND ACFT. NO OTHER OCCUPANTS ABOARD, NO OTHER ACFT INVOLVED. IN SUBSEQUENT PHONE CALL, APCH RADAR FAC CONCURRED WITH DECISION. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: RPTR SAID HE RECEIVED A FORMAL WX BRIEFING FROM DAY FSS COVERING THE SHORT FLT PLANNED, NOT A RECORDING. IMMEDIATELY AFTER TKOF, ENCOUNTERED LAYER AND HAD TO CLB TO STAY VFR. WX CLOSED BEHIND SO IT TURNED OUT HE HAD TAKEN OFF THROUGH A HOLE. DECLARED EMER AFTER FRUITLESS EFFORT BY DAY TRACON TO FIND A VFR ARPT IN VICINITY AND RECEIVED VERY GOOD FLT ASSIST SVC. FAA EVIDENTLY INVESTIGATION OCCURRENCE AND REQUIRING EXTENSIVE (PER RPTR) PAPERWORK FROM RPTR, BUT HAS BEEN LED TO BELIEVE NO VIOLATION TO BE FILED. VERIFIED 9 HRS IN SMT TYPE ACFT, BUT APPROX 8000 TOTAL AS PVT PLT. THIS OCCURRENCE HAS LED RPTR TO UNDERTAKE INSTRUMENT TRNING.

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.