VFR flight in IMC. Off airport landing at night.

Attributes
ACN	125829
Time
Date	198910
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : abe
State Reference	PA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	Marginal
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	landing other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 170 flight time total : 370
ASRS Report	125829
Person 2
Affiliation	government other
Function	other personnel other
Qualification	other
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : vfr in imc inflight encounter : weather non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

About 1 hour before departing essex county airport, caldwell, nj, I obtained a standard WX briefing form millvale FSS. Conditions were expected to be VFR along my route of flight, so I filed a VFR flight plan (cdw-way). Shortly after departing cdw the WX conditions began to deteriorate (haze). By this time, I had stopped communications with cdw tower. I didn't perform the recommended 180 degree turn to attempt to return to cdw for fear of possibly busting the ewr TCA and encountering other aircraft. I continued toward the stw VOR at 3000', now in IMC. Upon station passage I checked surface elevation and obstacles in the area, and began to descend. I descended into VFR conditions, but altitude was low in terms of AGL. The uncontrolled field I had hoped to find was not close enough, because the haze got worse and visibility necessitated an immediate precautionary landing. The aircraft was safely landed in a corn field. There were no injuries, and only minor cosmetic damage to the aircraft.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: VFR FLT IN IMC. OFF ARPT LNDG AT NIGHT.

Narrative: ABOUT 1 HR BEFORE DEPARTING ESSEX COUNTY ARPT, CALDWELL, NJ, I OBTAINED A STANDARD WX BRIEFING FORM MILLVALE FSS. CONDITIONS WERE EXPECTED TO BE VFR ALONG MY ROUTE OF FLT, SO I FILED A VFR FLT PLAN (CDW-WAY). SHORTLY AFTER DEPARTING CDW THE WX CONDITIONS BEGAN TO DETERIORATE (HAZE). BY THIS TIME, I HAD STOPPED COMS WITH CDW TWR. I DIDN'T PERFORM THE RECOMMENDED 180 DEG TURN TO ATTEMPT TO RETURN TO CDW FOR FEAR OF POSSIBLY BUSTING THE EWR TCA AND ENCOUNTERING OTHER ACFT. I CONTINUED TOWARD THE STW VOR AT 3000', NOW IN IMC. UPON STATION PASSAGE I CHKED SURFACE ELEVATION AND OBSTACLES IN THE AREA, AND BEGAN TO DSND. I DSNDED INTO VFR CONDITIONS, BUT ALT WAS LOW IN TERMS OF AGL. THE UNCONTROLLED FIELD I HAD HOPED TO FIND WAS NOT CLOSE ENOUGH, BECAUSE THE HAZE GOT WORSE AND VISIBILITY NECESSITATED AN IMMEDIATE PRECAUTIONARY LNDG. THE ACFT WAS SAFELY LANDED IN A CORN FIELD. THERE WERE NO INJURIES, AND ONLY MINOR COSMETIC DAMAGE TO THE ACFT.

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.