Narrative:

I was attempting to fly VFR from hio to oth, about 160 SM south of hio. WX earlier in the day was IFR, forecasted to improve to 2500' scattered at hio, eug (my alternate), and oth by XA00 local time. Shortly after that, I checked with FSS (mc minnville) and was given VFR reports for all 3 locations. I departed at about XA30, with the idea that I may have to scud-run, since the WX was lifting more slowly than the forecasters had anticipated. We were experiencing a weak e-w warm front, moving s-ward across wa and or, and they forecast improving conditions after frontal passage. And scud-run I did. I departed hi swbnd around bald peak, then turned ssebound, hoping to intercept V287 (183 degree right) off the ubg VOR. V287 goes directly to oth. As I floundered around dead-reckoning at low altitude, I realized that the hand-held navcom I was using was not going to be adequate for accurate navigation, even operating off the external communication antenna. I resolved to dead-reckon until I found a familiar road, then follow that to eug. I wasn't finding anything I recognized. I decided to head southeast in order to intercept 99W somewhere between mc minnville and corvallis. In doing so, I realized that not only was I already within 500' of the terrain (uncongested areas), but my visibility was now occasionally less than 1 mi (uncontrolled airspace). Not wishing to bust any regulations, either minimum safe altitude or VFR minimums,I got lucky just as I found 99W. There was a hole above me in the clouds, enough to get some altitude for communication with mmv FSS, and to get some more terrain clearance. It was too messy to continue my flight above the lowest layer of clouds, so my choices soon crystalized: return to hio. I could see bald peak to the north from my position, and had adequate cloud ht and visibility to return home. Even lacking a direct path back to bald peak and hio, I could follow 99W northeast to newberg city, then pop over to hio. A strong, viable alternative. Or, continue eastbound or sebnd until reaching I-5, which could then be followed through salem all the way to eugene. Or, find out what the WX was doing at eug and oth, and decided if it's even worth continuing this flight. By then I had decided that I really wanted to be in oth for the weekend assembly I was trying to get to, so I discounted the alternative of returning to hio, but settled for a landing in eug and a rental car, if eug was still IFR. I contacted mmv FSS and was informed that eug was still 2500' scattered, and oth was also VFR, if I remember correctly. By now, eug had become my destination of choice. I decided to ask for an IFR clearance from my present position to eug. By this time, I had told FSS that I wasn't sure of my present position. They got in touch with ZSE, then came back and told me to squawk 7700. I told them I was not declaring an emergency, but they said to squawk 7700 anyway. I did so, and they informed me that I was 15 mi north of corvallis. I requested an IFR clearance landing eug. They had me contact ZSE directly. Upon establishing contact, center asked me the nature of my emergency. I said again, 'negative emergency,' and requested the clearance. I was cleared to eug via direct corvallis, then direct, climb and maintain 4000'. I was then given a normal squawk code. Let me take a moment here to explain some of the complications. There was no radio in the panel. I was initially operating with a single sts brand hand-held navcom hooked up to the external communication antenna. Before requesting the IFR clearance, I pulled a hand-held navcom out from behind the seat to us as a navigation radio, intending to continue using the sts for communication only. The aircraft was an small aircraft home-built; a fast, all metal, low-wing monoplane. Consequently, VOR reception wasn't going to be really good while the radio was on the seat next to me, due to the shielding effect of the metal airframe. Further complicating matters was that I flew the plane from the right seat, as the owner of the plane was a student pilot of mine, so the right seat had the cushions removed so that I could situation comfortably. Naturally, the flight instruments were on the left where they belonged,so I had to twist and crane my neck to see them and maintain altitude and heading, twist my neck further and look down to see the radios, and try to counteract a continuous right-rolling tendency the airplane exhibits when flown right seat solo. Very tough situation for flying IFR. I was handed off to eug approach control. After he told me to expect the ILS, I sheepishly admitted I didn't have approach charts. Controller said he'd read me the ILS approach. Asked him if there was a VOR approach, as my hand-held radios were west/O local receiver. He offered to read me VOR-DME approach. I said 'no...,' then he said he'd read the VOR-a approach. Controller told me every third/fourth transmission from me was garbled. Hand-helds are more sensitive to directionality than normal radios, so each time that happened, I turned 20-30 degrees and repeated transmission, then turned back on heading. Other aircraft on frequency knew I was in trouble. 1 pilot said there was a hole in the clouds over daniels's field, 13 mi nne of eug. Controller gave me vectors there. I cancelled IFR, spiraled down below the overcast, headed for eug, requested/received SVFR clearance and landed uneventfully--except that local FAA accident prevention specialist was there to greet me. Might have been better if I'd slowed aircraft. She's a 160 mph ship, & I was very close to eug--with so much happening so quickly, could have slowed to 100-110. How to prevent: as soon as WX deteriorated, should have turned eastbound to I-5. No good scud-running west/O course guidance, and can't think of anything better than IFR (I follow roads). Once in system, should admit if radios are poor. I don't know if eug approach has PAR or ASR capability. If they do, wouldn't the controller have offered it to me? I'm not sure if the pilot has to request a surveillance approach, or if the controller can offer it. It sure would have helped.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA HOME-BUILT, NOT IFR EQUIPPED, ENCOUNTERS ENROUTE WX AND MAKE PRECAUTIONARY LNDG WITH ASSISTANCE FROM ATC.

Narrative: I WAS ATTEMPTING TO FLY VFR FROM HIO TO OTH, ABOUT 160 SM S OF HIO. WX EARLIER IN THE DAY WAS IFR, FORECASTED TO IMPROVE TO 2500' SCATTERED AT HIO, EUG (MY ALTERNATE), AND OTH BY XA00 LCL TIME. SHORTLY AFTER THAT, I CHKED WITH FSS (MC MINNVILLE) AND WAS GIVEN VFR RPTS FOR ALL 3 LOCATIONS. I DEPARTED AT ABOUT XA30, WITH THE IDEA THAT I MAY HAVE TO SCUD-RUN, SINCE THE WX WAS LIFTING MORE SLOWLY THAN THE FORECASTERS HAD ANTICIPATED. WE WERE EXPERIENCING A WEAK E-W WARM FRONT, MOVING S-WARD ACROSS WA AND OR, AND THEY FORECAST IMPROVING CONDITIONS AFTER FRONTAL PASSAGE. AND SCUD-RUN I DID. I DEPARTED HI SWBND AROUND BALD PEAK, THEN TURNED SSEBOUND, HOPING TO INTERCEPT V287 (183 DEG R) OFF THE UBG VOR. V287 GOES DIRECTLY TO OTH. AS I FLOUNDERED AROUND DEAD-RECKONING AT LOW ALT, I REALIZED THAT THE HAND-HELD NAVCOM I WAS USING WAS NOT GOING TO BE ADEQUATE FOR ACCURATE NAV, EVEN OPERATING OFF THE EXTERNAL COM ANTENNA. I RESOLVED TO DEAD-RECKON UNTIL I FOUND A FAMILIAR ROAD, THEN FOLLOW THAT TO EUG. I WASN'T FINDING ANYTHING I RECOGNIZED. I DECIDED TO HEAD SE IN ORDER TO INTERCEPT 99W SOMEWHERE BTWN MC MINNVILLE AND CORVALLIS. IN DOING SO, I REALIZED THAT NOT ONLY WAS I ALREADY WITHIN 500' OF THE TERRAIN (UNCONGESTED AREAS), BUT MY VISIBILITY WAS NOW OCCASIONALLY LESS THAN 1 MI (UNCONTROLLED AIRSPACE). NOT WISHING TO BUST ANY REGS, EITHER MINIMUM SAFE ALT OR VFR MINIMUMS,I GOT LUCKY JUST AS I FOUND 99W. THERE WAS A HOLE ABOVE ME IN THE CLOUDS, ENOUGH TO GET SOME ALT FOR COM WITH MMV FSS, AND TO GET SOME MORE TERRAIN CLRNC. IT WAS TOO MESSY TO CONTINUE MY FLT ABOVE THE LOWEST LAYER OF CLOUDS, SO MY CHOICES SOON CRYSTALIZED: RETURN TO HIO. I COULD SEE BALD PEAK TO THE N FROM MY POS, AND HAD ADEQUATE CLOUD HT AND VISIBILITY TO RETURN HOME. EVEN LACKING A DIRECT PATH BACK TO BALD PEAK AND HIO, I COULD FOLLOW 99W NE TO NEWBERG CITY, THEN POP OVER TO HIO. A STRONG, VIABLE ALTERNATIVE. OR, CONTINUE EBND OR SEBND UNTIL REACHING I-5, WHICH COULD THEN BE FOLLOWED THROUGH SALEM ALL THE WAY TO EUGENE. OR, FIND OUT WHAT THE WX WAS DOING AT EUG AND OTH, AND DECIDED IF IT'S EVEN WORTH CONTINUING THIS FLT. BY THEN I HAD DECIDED THAT I REALLY WANTED TO BE IN OTH FOR THE WEEKEND ASSEMBLY I WAS TRYING TO GET TO, SO I DISCOUNTED THE ALTERNATIVE OF RETURNING TO HIO, BUT SETTLED FOR A LNDG IN EUG AND A RENTAL CAR, IF EUG WAS STILL IFR. I CONTACTED MMV FSS AND WAS INFORMED THAT EUG WAS STILL 2500' SCATTERED, AND OTH WAS ALSO VFR, IF I REMEMBER CORRECTLY. BY NOW, EUG HAD BECOME MY DEST OF CHOICE. I DECIDED TO ASK FOR AN IFR CLRNC FROM MY PRESENT POS TO EUG. BY THIS TIME, I HAD TOLD FSS THAT I WASN'T SURE OF MY PRESENT POS. THEY GOT IN TOUCH WITH ZSE, THEN CAME BACK AND TOLD ME TO SQUAWK 7700. I TOLD THEM I WAS NOT DECLARING AN EMER, BUT THEY SAID TO SQUAWK 7700 ANYWAY. I DID SO, AND THEY INFORMED ME THAT I WAS 15 MI N OF CORVALLIS. I REQUESTED AN IFR CLRNC LNDG EUG. THEY HAD ME CONTACT ZSE DIRECTLY. UPON ESTABLISHING CONTACT, CENTER ASKED ME THE NATURE OF MY EMER. I SAID AGAIN, 'NEGATIVE EMER,' AND REQUESTED THE CLRNC. I WAS CLRED TO EUG VIA DIRECT CORVALLIS, THEN DIRECT, CLB AND MAINTAIN 4000'. I WAS THEN GIVEN A NORMAL SQUAWK CODE. LET ME TAKE A MOMENT HERE TO EXPLAIN SOME OF THE COMPLICATIONS. THERE WAS NO RADIO IN THE PANEL. I WAS INITIALLY OPERATING WITH A SINGLE STS BRAND HAND-HELD NAVCOM HOOKED UP TO THE EXTERNAL COM ANTENNA. BEFORE REQUESTING THE IFR CLRNC, I PULLED A HAND-HELD NAVCOM OUT FROM BEHIND THE SEAT TO US AS A NAV RADIO, INTENDING TO CONTINUE USING THE STS FOR COM ONLY. THE ACFT WAS AN SMA HOME-BUILT; A FAST, ALL METAL, LOW-WING MONOPLANE. CONSEQUENTLY, VOR RECEPTION WASN'T GOING TO BE REALLY GOOD WHILE THE RADIO WAS ON THE SEAT NEXT TO ME, DUE TO THE SHIELDING EFFECT OF THE METAL AIRFRAME. FURTHER COMPLICATING MATTERS WAS THAT I FLEW THE PLANE FROM THE RIGHT SEAT, AS THE OWNER OF THE PLANE WAS A STUDENT PLT OF MINE, SO THE RIGHT SEAT HAD THE CUSHIONS REMOVED SO THAT I COULD SIT COMFORTABLY. NATURALLY, THE FLT INSTRUMENTS WERE ON THE LEFT WHERE THEY BELONGED,SO I HAD TO TWIST AND CRANE MY NECK TO SEE THEM AND MAINTAIN ALT AND HDG, TWIST MY NECK FURTHER AND LOOK DOWN TO SEE THE RADIOS, AND TRY TO COUNTERACT A CONTINUOUS RIGHT-ROLLING TENDENCY THE AIRPLANE EXHIBITS WHEN FLOWN RIGHT SEAT SOLO. VERY TOUGH SITUATION FOR FLYING IFR. I WAS HANDED OFF TO EUG APCH CTL. AFTER HE TOLD ME TO EXPECT THE ILS, I SHEEPISHLY ADMITTED I DIDN'T HAVE APCH CHARTS. CTLR SAID HE'D READ ME THE ILS APCH. ASKED HIM IF THERE WAS A VOR APCH, AS MY HAND-HELD RADIOS WERE W/O LCL RECEIVER. HE OFFERED TO READ ME VOR-DME APCH. I SAID 'NO...,' THEN HE SAID HE'D READ THE VOR-A APCH. CTLR TOLD ME EVERY THIRD/FOURTH XMISSION FROM ME WAS GARBLED. HAND-HELDS ARE MORE SENSITIVE TO DIRECTIONALITY THAN NORMAL RADIOS, SO EACH TIME THAT HAPPENED, I TURNED 20-30 DEGS AND REPEATED XMISSION, THEN TURNED BACK ON HDG. OTHER ACFT ON FREQ KNEW I WAS IN TROUBLE. 1 PLT SAID THERE WAS A HOLE IN THE CLOUDS OVER DANIELS'S FIELD, 13 MI NNE OF EUG. CTLR GAVE ME VECTORS THERE. I CANCELLED IFR, SPIRALED DOWN BELOW THE OVCST, HEADED FOR EUG, REQUESTED/RECEIVED SVFR CLRNC AND LANDED UNEVENTFULLY--EXCEPT THAT LCL FAA ACCIDENT PREVENTION SPECIALIST WAS THERE TO GREET ME. MIGHT HAVE BEEN BETTER IF I'D SLOWED ACFT. SHE'S A 160 MPH SHIP, & I WAS VERY CLOSE TO EUG--WITH SO MUCH HAPPENING SO QUICKLY, COULD HAVE SLOWED TO 100-110. HOW TO PREVENT: AS SOON AS WX DETERIORATED, SHOULD HAVE TURNED EBND TO I-5. NO GOOD SCUD-RUNNING W/O COURSE GUIDANCE, AND CAN'T THINK OF ANYTHING BETTER THAN IFR (I FOLLOW ROADS). ONCE IN SYS, SHOULD ADMIT IF RADIOS ARE POOR. I DON'T KNOW IF EUG APCH HAS PAR OR ASR CAPABILITY. IF THEY DO, WOULDN'T THE CTLR HAVE OFFERED IT TO ME? I'M NOT SURE IF THE PLT HAS TO REQUEST A SURVEILLANCE APCH, OR IF THE CTLR CAN OFFER IT. IT SURE WOULD HAVE HELPED.

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.