Narrative:

On our way to a ranch landing strip, it became obvious that we would need an IFR approach to get under the cloud deck. WX at del rio was good--3300' overcast, visibility was 7 mi. The ranch strip is located on the rsg 180 degree 23 DME fix. We were working with ZHU, as laughlin approach was closed. We encountered good VFR WX 18 mi southwest of the ranch and cancelled our IFR. We turned northbound toward the ranch and flew at 120 KIAS under a 1200' ceiling with a visibility of 8 mi. This went fine until we got 8 mi south of the ranch and encountered rapidly rising terrain with lowering ceiling. My copilot kept insisting that I 'stay under the clouds.' at this point, I realized I was much lower than I wanted to be--about 500' AGL--and started a turn to the east as to make a 180 degree turn and land at del rio VFR. At the same time, I said, 'this is not going to work--we are going back to del rio.' my copilot said, 'pull up into the clouds and let's get an IFR,' at which point I did so. I did not want to do that, but there was not time to discuss the subject. We called center and were immediately issued an IFR clearance. In retrospect, it would have been very easy to make a 180 degree turn and go back to del rio in good VFR; however, my training in cockpit coordination tells me that whenever someone in the right seat says 'pull up,' that is what I am going to do. The best way to prevent this from happening again is simply not to cancel IFR unless you see the airport of intended landing. That way, I will not have to be concerned with rapidly changing conditions, even if the distance is short.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: IMC IN VFR FLT.

Narrative: ON OUR WAY TO A RANCH LNDG STRIP, IT BECAME OBVIOUS THAT WE WOULD NEED AN IFR APCH TO GET UNDER THE CLOUD DECK. WX AT DEL RIO WAS GOOD--3300' OVCST, VISIBILITY WAS 7 MI. THE RANCH STRIP IS LOCATED ON THE RSG 180 DEG 23 DME FIX. WE WERE WORKING WITH ZHU, AS LAUGHLIN APCH WAS CLOSED. WE ENCOUNTERED GOOD VFR WX 18 MI SW OF THE RANCH AND CANCELLED OUR IFR. WE TURNED NBOUND TOWARD THE RANCH AND FLEW AT 120 KIAS UNDER A 1200' CEILING WITH A VISIBILITY OF 8 MI. THIS WENT FINE UNTIL WE GOT 8 MI S OF THE RANCH AND ENCOUNTERED RAPIDLY RISING TERRAIN WITH LOWERING CEILING. MY COPLT KEPT INSISTING THAT I 'STAY UNDER THE CLOUDS.' AT THIS POINT, I REALIZED I WAS MUCH LOWER THAN I WANTED TO BE--ABOUT 500' AGL--AND STARTED A TURN TO THE E AS TO MAKE A 180 DEG TURN AND LAND AT DEL RIO VFR. AT THE SAME TIME, I SAID, 'THIS IS NOT GOING TO WORK--WE ARE GOING BACK TO DEL RIO.' MY COPLT SAID, 'PULL UP INTO THE CLOUDS AND LET'S GET AN IFR,' AT WHICH POINT I DID SO. I DID NOT WANT TO DO THAT, BUT THERE WAS NOT TIME TO DISCUSS THE SUBJECT. WE CALLED CENTER AND WERE IMMEDIATELY ISSUED AN IFR CLRNC. IN RETROSPECT, IT WOULD HAVE BEEN VERY EASY TO MAKE A 180 DEG TURN AND GO BACK TO DEL RIO IN GOOD VFR; HOWEVER, MY TRNING IN COCKPIT COORD TELLS ME THAT WHENEVER SOMEONE IN THE RIGHT SEAT SAYS 'PULL UP,' THAT IS WHAT I AM GOING TO DO. THE BEST WAY TO PREVENT THIS FROM HAPPENING AGAIN IS SIMPLY NOT TO CANCEL IFR UNLESS YOU SEE THE ARPT OF INTENDED LNDG. THAT WAY, I WILL NOT HAVE TO BE CONCERNED WITH RAPIDLY CHANGING CONDITIONS, EVEN IF THE DISTANCE IS SHORT.

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.