GA small aircraft on EMS flight VFR in IMC.

Attributes
ACN	126462
Time
Date	198910
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : poe
State Reference	KS
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zkc
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low 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 : 900 flight time type : 800
ASRS Report	126462
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : weather inflight encounter : vfr in imc non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : provided flight assist flight crew : exited adverse environment other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Received call for medical flight. Check WX, ok. Flew to pick up patient, check WX and filed flight plan. WX deteriorated. Was told to stay west and north of wichita. WX to right of aircraft. All ok. Received 3 degree right turn from flight following to stay out of MOA. Looked ok, but was later to get into clouds. IFR conditions. Center people very helpful in vectoring me to VFR conditions. Landed, fueled. Check WX, VFR. Tried to continue, ceiling too low. Returned to field. Put patient in hospital. Found an IFR pilot and plane next day. Contracted to have patient and myself flown to omaha. Dropped patient. Returned to topeka. By that time VFR conditions. Returned VFR home. Realize now, should have refused 5 degree right vector or should have asked for left vector. I should have IFR rating.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GA SMA ON EMS FLT VFR IN IMC.

Narrative: RECEIVED CALL FOR MEDICAL FLT. CHECK WX, OK. FLEW TO PICK UP PATIENT, CHECK WX AND FILED FLT PLAN. WX DETERIORATED. WAS TOLD TO STAY W AND N OF WICHITA. WX TO RIGHT OF ACFT. ALL OK. RECEIVED 3 DEG RIGHT TURN FROM FLT FOLLOWING TO STAY OUT OF MOA. LOOKED OK, BUT WAS LATER TO GET INTO CLOUDS. IFR CONDITIONS. CENTER PEOPLE VERY HELPFUL IN VECTORING ME TO VFR CONDITIONS. LANDED, FUELED. CHECK WX, VFR. TRIED TO CONTINUE, CEILING TOO LOW. RETURNED TO FIELD. PUT PATIENT IN HOSPITAL. FOUND AN IFR PLT AND PLANE NEXT DAY. CONTRACTED TO HAVE PATIENT AND MYSELF FLOWN TO OMAHA. DROPPED PATIENT. RETURNED TO TOPEKA. BY THAT TIME VFR CONDITIONS. RETURNED VFR HOME. REALIZE NOW, SHOULD HAVE REFUSED 5 DEG RIGHT VECTOR OR SHOULD HAVE ASKED FOR LEFT VECTOR. I SHOULD HAVE IFR RATING.

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.