Private pilot encounters IMC while VFR.

Attributes
ACN	129529
Time
Date	198911
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : cmi
State Reference	IL
Altitude	msl bound lower : 1500 msl bound upper : 1500
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : cmi
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Retractable Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
ASRS Report	129529
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : weather inflight encounter : vfr in imc non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : provided flight assist flight crew : became reoriented flight crew : exited adverse environment other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

After filing VFR flight plan at cps, lifted off at XX30 am local time. Flight plan indicated tol as destination. As I flew nne I found that WX conditions were deteriorating. 10 NM south of decatur VOR, I called champaign approach to advise that I would be landing in champaign due to WX conditions. Ceilings were lowering to the point where I found it unsafe and illegal to fly. I decided to set up my VOR to champaign for reference. I had my eyes on the instrument panel for a few seconds to verify my position, and when I looked back up the windshield was covered with ice. Due to my low altitude and poor to no visibility, I nosed my plane up to climb to a safe altitude--and at the same time, called champaign approach for assistance while explaining my situation. The air traffic controller immediately took the necessary action to vector lme to the airport and advised me to fly around the airport to melt the ice off the windshield before landing. I called champaign approach to request assistance at approximately XX30 am, local, 18 mi ssw of the airport, and landed at XX45 am. I would like to commend the air traffic controller for his knowledgeable assistance, as he made sure that I was forgetting nothing inside the plane while vectoring me in.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PVT PLT ENCOUNTERS IMC WHILE VFR.

Narrative: AFTER FILING VFR FLT PLAN AT CPS, LIFTED OFF AT XX30 AM LCL TIME. FLT PLAN INDICATED TOL AS DEST. AS I FLEW NNE I FOUND THAT WX CONDITIONS WERE DETERIORATING. 10 NM S OF DECATUR VOR, I CALLED CHAMPAIGN APCH TO ADVISE THAT I WOULD BE LNDG IN CHAMPAIGN DUE TO WX CONDITIONS. CEILINGS WERE LOWERING TO THE POINT WHERE I FOUND IT UNSAFE AND ILLEGAL TO FLY. I DECIDED TO SET UP MY VOR TO CHAMPAIGN FOR REF. I HAD MY EYES ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL FOR A FEW SECS TO VERIFY MY POS, AND WHEN I LOOKED BACK UP THE WINDSHIELD WAS COVERED WITH ICE. DUE TO MY LOW ALT AND POOR TO NO VISIBILITY, I NOSED MY PLANE UP TO CLB TO A SAFE ALT--AND AT THE SAME TIME, CALLED CHAMPAIGN APCH FOR ASSISTANCE WHILE EXPLAINING MY SITUATION. THE AIR TFC CTLR IMMEDIATELY TOOK THE NECESSARY ACTION TO VECTOR LME TO THE ARPT AND ADVISED ME TO FLY AROUND THE ARPT TO MELT THE ICE OFF THE WINDSHIELD BEFORE LNDG. I CALLED CHAMPAIGN APCH TO REQUEST ASSISTANCE AT APPROX XX30 AM, LCL, 18 MI SSW OF THE ARPT, AND LANDED AT XX45 AM. I WOULD LIKE TO COMMEND THE AIR TFC CTLR FOR HIS KNOWLEDGEABLE ASSISTANCE, AS HE MADE SURE THAT I WAS FORGETTING NOTHING INSIDE THE PLANE WHILE VECTORING ME IN.

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.