Small aircraft VFR in IMC.

Attributes
ACN	137567
Time
Date	199001
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : vny
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 5000 msl bound upper : 9500
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : bur tracon : crp
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 40 flight time total : 445 flight time type : 18
ASRS Report	137567
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	observation : passenger observation : observer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : private
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe inflight encounter : vfr in imc non adherence : far non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Trip bfl to smo departed VFR, called burbank approach over lake castaic at 9500', requested IFR clearance to smo. Said we were descending 9500' for 7500'. We were given a clearance direct vny, vny 096 darts maintain VFR 5500'. I was in the right seat on return trip, the other pilot was in the left seat, (he was a newly rated instrument pilot). I was handling the radios and filed. There was a large mass of clouds at 5500' on our course of flight 1000' thick. We flew into clouds at 5500' before we could tell burbank that we could not maintain VFR. We were then cleared to 5000'. I also took over the controls because the clouds looked very ominous to the other pilot with his new instrument rating. With the WX conditions present and the reason for filing IFR, burbank should have given me an IFR altitude in the beginning. I lost communication flying vny 160 radial outbnd for 5 mi for spacing, picked them back up on #2 radio.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA VFR IN IMC.

Narrative: TRIP BFL TO SMO DEPARTED VFR, CALLED BURBANK APCH OVER LAKE CASTAIC AT 9500', REQUESTED IFR CLRNC TO SMO. SAID WE WERE DSNDING 9500' FOR 7500'. WE WERE GIVEN A CLRNC DIRECT VNY, VNY 096 DARTS MAINTAIN VFR 5500'. I WAS IN THE R SEAT ON RETURN TRIP, THE OTHER PLT WAS IN THE L SEAT, (HE WAS A NEWLY RATED INSTRUMENT PLT). I WAS HANDLING THE RADIOS AND FILED. THERE WAS A LARGE MASS OF CLOUDS AT 5500' ON OUR COURSE OF FLT 1000' THICK. WE FLEW INTO CLOUDS AT 5500' BEFORE WE COULD TELL BURBANK THAT WE COULD NOT MAINTAIN VFR. WE WERE THEN CLRED TO 5000'. I ALSO TOOK OVER THE CONTROLS BECAUSE THE CLOUDS LOOKED VERY OMINOUS TO THE OTHER PLT WITH HIS NEW INSTRUMENT RATING. WITH THE WX CONDITIONS PRESENT AND THE REASON FOR FILING IFR, BURBANK SHOULD HAVE GIVEN ME AN IFR ALT IN THE BEGINNING. I LOST COM FLYING VNY 160 RADIAL OUTBND FOR 5 MI FOR SPACING, PICKED THEM BACK UP ON #2 RADIO.

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.