Narrative:

On a VFR flight from billings, mt to rock springs, wy, I unwittingly got into clouds (IFR) in large part due to inadequate navaids (ADF, VOR or LORAN). I left billings airport after having been briefed by FSS that it was VFR to rock springs. As I headed so, I tuned my ADF to powell, wy, but got no signal. Also my LORAN had the warning sign on (dead zone). The only reference was billings VOR with a from indication. Cody VOR gave no signal. I flew into an unfamiliar valley with adjacent mountains (6000-6500') and overhead clouds at 7000-7500'. I then proceeded to turn back to billings but got engulfed by clouds. I immediately contacted control and was vectored to billings west/O incident. Need additional NAVAID between bil and powell/cody, wy. Need cody VOR at higher elevation for better reception. No reception when outside 20 mi radius at 7000-8000' MSL, 4000-5000' AGL. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: the reporter was called for counseling, and advised that the VOR and NDB navaids are intended for use by IFR aircraft and at an altitude above that which the reporter was flying. The reporter was also advised of the wisdom (or lack thereof) of flying in mountainous terrain at night in marginal WX while attempting navigation with navaids that are unusable at the reporter's altitude. Proper VFR navigation technique and applicable VFR charts were discussed.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: VFR SMA ENCOUNTERS IMC AT NIGHT IN MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN, REQUIRES ATC ASSISTANCE. BIL APCH CTLR GETS CREDIT FOR A SAVE.

Narrative: ON A VFR FLT FROM BILLINGS, MT TO ROCK SPRINGS, WY, I UNWITTINGLY GOT INTO CLOUDS (IFR) IN LARGE PART DUE TO INADEQUATE NAVAIDS (ADF, VOR OR LORAN). I LEFT BILLINGS ARPT AFTER HAVING BEEN BRIEFED BY FSS THAT IT WAS VFR TO ROCK SPRINGS. AS I HEADED SO, I TUNED MY ADF TO POWELL, WY, BUT GOT NO SIGNAL. ALSO MY LORAN HAD THE WARNING SIGN ON (DEAD ZONE). THE ONLY REF WAS BILLINGS VOR WITH A FROM INDICATION. CODY VOR GAVE NO SIGNAL. I FLEW INTO AN UNFAMILIAR VALLEY WITH ADJACENT MOUNTAINS (6000-6500') AND OVERHEAD CLOUDS AT 7000-7500'. I THEN PROCEEDED TO TURN BACK TO BILLINGS BUT GOT ENGULFED BY CLOUDS. I IMMEDIATELY CONTACTED CONTROL AND WAS VECTORED TO BILLINGS W/O INCIDENT. NEED ADDITIONAL NAVAID BTWN BIL AND POWELL/CODY, WY. NEED CODY VOR AT HIGHER ELEVATION FOR BETTER RECEPTION. NO RECEPTION WHEN OUTSIDE 20 MI RADIUS AT 7000-8000' MSL, 4000-5000' AGL. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: THE RPTR WAS CALLED FOR COUNSELING, AND ADVISED THAT THE VOR AND NDB NAVAIDS ARE INTENDED FOR USE BY IFR ACFT AND AT AN ALT ABOVE THAT WHICH THE RPTR WAS FLYING. THE RPTR WAS ALSO ADVISED OF THE WISDOM (OR LACK THEREOF) OF FLYING IN MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN AT NIGHT IN MARGINAL WX WHILE ATTEMPTING NAV WITH NAVAIDS THAT ARE UNUSABLE AT THE RPTR'S ALT. PROPER VFR NAV TECHNIQUE AND APPLICABLE VFR CHARTS WERE DISCUSSED.

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.