Small aircraft low time pilot becomes involved with WX and is not sure of his position.

Attributes
ACN	123737
Time
Date	198909
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : luk
State Reference	OH
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2100 msl bound upper : 8000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Marginal
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : cvg tower : luk
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Retractable Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other 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 : 60 flight time total : 101 flight time type : 95
ASRS Report	123737
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : vfr in imc inflight encounter : weather non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : became reoriented other other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I started a flight from 3i9 to luk. The WX briefing said cincinnati was 2200' broken, visibility 5 mi and improving until 1500Z. After leaving 3i9 I encountered scattered patches of fog, so I went up to 4000'. As I continued, the ground fog worsened until I could no longer see the ground. At the circleville VOR I called FSS for a WX update at cincinnati. The WX was still 2200' broken and 5 vi. I started tracking the cincinnati VOR. During this time climbed to 8000' due to cloud tops at 4000'. I continued to look for the broken cloud layers reported, finding none. I continued to look for a place to descend. I suddenly noticed my VOR FLIP over from 'to' to 'from,' indicating I was right over the cincinnati VOR. This VOR is directly on cincinnati airport. I immediately turned to the southeast to track away from the arsa. I tuned in the ATIS and continued to look for a hole to descend through. Flying for about 10 mins at 100 KTS, I saw a hole in the clouds. At this time I descended to 2100' MSL and called luk for a marginal VFR approach into the airport. I am not sure if I descended while in the arsa. I received directions from luk in order to find the airport, this being my first trip into the area. I did not know I was close to the cincinnati VOR and had not intended on entering the arsa, so cincinnati approach was not contacted. After I realized I was over the arsa, my altitude was sufficient to be above the arsa, but not above a control zone. My intention was to fly southeast about 25 mi, where I could see the cloud layer stop, land and check the WX or proceed back to cincinnati under the cloud layer. When I saw the hole in the clouds, I made the choice to descend rather than risk an emergency situation. Reflecting back on it now, it would have been far better to have contacted cincinnati approach, advised them of my situation and requested assistance to VFR WX where I could descend. This is an example of trusting the WX forecast instead of what the WX looked like. This lack of experience with WX conditions caused what could have been an emergency situation, and a violation of FAA rules.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA LOW TIME PLT BECOMES INVOLVED WITH WX AND IS NOT SURE OF HIS POSITION.

Narrative: I STARTED A FLT FROM 3I9 TO LUK. THE WX BRIEFING SAID CINCINNATI WAS 2200' BROKEN, VISIBILITY 5 MI AND IMPROVING UNTIL 1500Z. AFTER LEAVING 3I9 I ENCOUNTERED SCATTERED PATCHES OF FOG, SO I WENT UP TO 4000'. AS I CONTINUED, THE GND FOG WORSENED UNTIL I COULD NO LONGER SEE THE GND. AT THE CIRCLEVILLE VOR I CALLED FSS FOR A WX UPDATE AT CINCINNATI. THE WX WAS STILL 2200' BROKEN AND 5 VI. I STARTED TRACKING THE CINCINNATI VOR. DURING THIS TIME CLBED TO 8000' DUE TO CLOUD TOPS AT 4000'. I CONTINUED TO LOOK FOR THE BROKEN CLOUD LAYERS RPTED, FINDING NONE. I CONTINUED TO LOOK FOR A PLACE TO DSND. I SUDDENLY NOTICED MY VOR FLIP OVER FROM 'TO' TO 'FROM,' INDICATING I WAS RIGHT OVER THE CINCINNATI VOR. THIS VOR IS DIRECTLY ON CINCINNATI ARPT. I IMMEDIATELY TURNED TO THE SE TO TRACK AWAY FROM THE ARSA. I TUNED IN THE ATIS AND CONTINUED TO LOOK FOR A HOLE TO DSND THROUGH. FLYING FOR ABOUT 10 MINS AT 100 KTS, I SAW A HOLE IN THE CLOUDS. AT THIS TIME I DSNDED TO 2100' MSL AND CALLED LUK FOR A MARGINAL VFR APCH INTO THE ARPT. I AM NOT SURE IF I DSNDED WHILE IN THE ARSA. I RECEIVED DIRECTIONS FROM LUK IN ORDER TO FIND THE ARPT, THIS BEING MY FIRST TRIP INTO THE AREA. I DID NOT KNOW I WAS CLOSE TO THE CINCINNATI VOR AND HAD NOT INTENDED ON ENTERING THE ARSA, SO CINCINNATI APCH WAS NOT CONTACTED. AFTER I REALIZED I WAS OVER THE ARSA, MY ALT WAS SUFFICIENT TO BE ABOVE THE ARSA, BUT NOT ABOVE A CTL ZONE. MY INTENTION WAS TO FLY SE ABOUT 25 MI, WHERE I COULD SEE THE CLOUD LAYER STOP, LAND AND CHK THE WX OR PROCEED BACK TO CINCINNATI UNDER THE CLOUD LAYER. WHEN I SAW THE HOLE IN THE CLOUDS, I MADE THE CHOICE TO DSND RATHER THAN RISK AN EMER SITUATION. REFLECTING BACK ON IT NOW, IT WOULD HAVE BEEN FAR BETTER TO HAVE CONTACTED CINCINNATI APCH, ADVISED THEM OF MY SITUATION AND REQUESTED ASSISTANCE TO VFR WX WHERE I COULD DSND. THIS IS AN EXAMPLE OF TRUSTING THE WX FORECAST INSTEAD OF WHAT THE WX LOOKED LIKE. THIS LACK OF EXPERIENCE WITH WX CONDITIONS CAUSED WHAT COULD HAVE BEEN AN EMER SITUATION, AND A VIOLATION OF FAA RULES.

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.