GA small transport VFR in IMC. Emergency declared.

Attributes
ACN	142329
Time
Date	199004
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : poc
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2300 msl bound upper : 2300
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : ont
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors enroute : direct
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 15 flight time total : 675 flight time type : 590
ASRS Report	142329
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : vfr in imc inflight encounter : weather non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance controller : provided flight assist flight crew : declared emergency other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Flew into low clouds at night on flight from poc to cbl. Was looking for montclair plaza report point for 45 degree entry into cgl uncontrolled airport. For the short time I was checking landmark we flew into low clouds. Didn't see clouds and the visibility was 10 mi, and otherwise a clear night. I did not want to violate ont's area at the time, since we were close to the border and I chose to declare emergency and to quickly get a heading out of clouds, back to brackett. Ont approach gave me heading to brackett and we were VFR for a few mins, then back into clouds. Ont then gave us heading to chino airport, where we landed. Entire incident lasted only for a short time.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GA SMT VFR IN IMC. EMERGENCY DECLARED.

Narrative: FLEW INTO LOW CLOUDS AT NIGHT ON FLT FROM POC TO CBL. WAS LOOKING FOR MONTCLAIR PLAZA RPT POINT FOR 45 DEG ENTRY INTO CGL UNCONTROLLED ARPT. FOR THE SHORT TIME I WAS CHKING LANDMARK WE FLEW INTO LOW CLOUDS. DIDN'T SEE CLOUDS AND THE VISIBILITY WAS 10 MI, AND OTHERWISE A CLEAR NIGHT. I DID NOT WANT TO VIOLATE ONT'S AREA AT THE TIME, SINCE WE WERE CLOSE TO THE BORDER AND I CHOSE TO DECLARE EMER AND TO QUICKLY GET A HDG OUT OF CLOUDS, BACK TO BRACKETT. ONT APCH GAVE ME HDG TO BRACKETT AND WE WERE VFR FOR A FEW MINS, THEN BACK INTO CLOUDS. ONT THEN GAVE US HDG TO CHINO ARPT, WHERE WE LANDED. ENTIRE INCIDENT LASTED ONLY FOR A SHORT TIME.

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.