Narrative:

When I departed pike county airport at about XX15 pm, the ceiling was 1500' AGL. I flew south attempting to fly VFR to lnp, since all navigation and approach facs at lnp were notamed OTS. Approximately 10 mi south of pikeville the ceilings started to drop quickly to the ridges. When I noticed that the ceiling was starting to drop I attempted to contact ZID. I could hear them loud and clear. I don't know if they ignored my calls because the controller was busy as he seemed to be working several sectors or he did not hear my calls. I was going to try to get an in-flight clearance from him. I could not turn back or go forward VFR west/O possibly flying in the valleys and a possible accident. I therefore decided to climb to be sure that I would clear the mountainous terrain and try again at a higher altitude to get a clearance from center. About 20 mi later I finally got a response from center, he said I was in radar contact 5 mi north of lnp. I had filed an IFR flight plan for lnp to roa previously, and he gave me a clearance to roa thinking that I had just departed lnp. I told him that I would like to amend my flight plan and land at abingdon, va. He then reclred me there and to maintain 7000'. Shortly thereafter I was handed off to tri-cities approach control. After tri-city approach gave me a descent clearance I flew into VFR conditions. I then cancelled IFR and proceeded VFR to lnp. I could have filed IFR to either abingdon, va to tri-city, tn originally, flown an IFR clearance until VFR and then proceeded to lnp.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CORP SMA DEPARTS VFR WITH FORECAST IMC CONDITIONS. UNABLE TO IMMEDIATELY PICK AN IFR CLRNC, THE PLT ENTERS IMC WHILE VFR.

Narrative: WHEN I DEPARTED PIKE COUNTY ARPT AT ABOUT XX15 PM, THE CEILING WAS 1500' AGL. I FLEW S ATTEMPTING TO FLY VFR TO LNP, SINCE ALL NAV AND APCH FACS AT LNP WERE NOTAMED OTS. APPROX 10 MI S OF PIKEVILLE THE CEILINGS STARTED TO DROP QUICKLY TO THE RIDGES. WHEN I NOTICED THAT THE CEILING WAS STARTING TO DROP I ATTEMPTED TO CONTACT ZID. I COULD HEAR THEM LOUD AND CLEAR. I DON'T KNOW IF THEY IGNORED MY CALLS BECAUSE THE CTLR WAS BUSY AS HE SEEMED TO BE WORKING SEVERAL SECTORS OR HE DID NOT HEAR MY CALLS. I WAS GOING TO TRY TO GET AN INFLT CLRNC FROM HIM. I COULD NOT TURN BACK OR GO FORWARD VFR W/O POSSIBLY FLYING IN THE VALLEYS AND A POSSIBLE ACCIDENT. I THEREFORE DECIDED TO CLB TO BE SURE THAT I WOULD CLR THE MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN AND TRY AGAIN AT A HIGHER ALT TO GET A CLRNC FROM CENTER. ABOUT 20 MI LATER I FINALLY GOT A RESPONSE FROM CENTER, HE SAID I WAS IN RADAR CONTACT 5 MI N OF LNP. I HAD FILED AN IFR FLT PLAN FOR LNP TO ROA PREVIOUSLY, AND HE GAVE ME A CLRNC TO ROA THINKING THAT I HAD JUST DEPARTED LNP. I TOLD HIM THAT I WOULD LIKE TO AMEND MY FLT PLAN AND LAND AT ABINGDON, VA. HE THEN RECLRED ME THERE AND TO MAINTAIN 7000'. SHORTLY THEREAFTER I WAS HANDED OFF TO TRI-CITIES APCH CTL. AFTER TRI-CITY APCH GAVE ME A DSCNT CLRNC I FLEW INTO VFR CONDITIONS. I THEN CANCELLED IFR AND PROCEEDED VFR TO LNP. I COULD HAVE FILED IFR TO EITHER ABINGDON, VA TO TRI-CITY, TN ORIGINALLY, FLOWN AN IFR CLRNC UNTIL VFR AND THEN PROCEEDED TO LNP.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 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.