Low time pilot encounters WX enroute and gets flight assist from a friendly approach controller.

Attributes
ACN	144149
Time
Date	199004
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : hcm
State Reference	VA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 900 msl bound upper : 3200
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : dov
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Retractable Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other cruise other landing other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 4 flight time total : 177 flight time type : 177
ASRS Report	144149
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	other other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

On 4/sun/90 at approximately XY30 am I filed a VFR flight plan with newport new FSS to fly from williamsburg-jamestown airport to my home base of northeast philadelphia airport, departing 2 hours later. At this time I asked the FSS how the WX was along my route. She stated that it was VFR conditions along my route. She also stated that I should contact FSS right before I leave. Around 1 hour prior to departure I again called by phone and spoke to a specialist. He stated that there was a storm cell over patuxent, but it was moving northeast at 30 mph. I thought that the storm would be off the coast as I was ready to takeoff. I did not call FSS again. The WX at the time we departed williamsburg was MVFR. With 34 hours of hood time in preparation for my INS rating,I did not think flying in this WX would be a problem. Also as a precaution, I would stay in contact with the traffic centers along the route for radar advisories. I departed about 1 1/2 hours later. I flew direct harcum VOR direct kenton VOR. I encountered light rain and moderate turbulence as I flew up and over the chesapeake, but still in VFR conditions nonetheless. About 15 mi northeast of cambridge dorchester airport, I encountered INS meteorological conditions. Instead of turning back, I decided to go through it thinking that I would be back in VFR conditions. About 5 mins into the IMC, I encountered severe turbulence. At this time I asked the dover approach controller to vector us to the nearest airport. The controller told me that the ceiling was 1600'. I descended down to 900' and was not able to see the ground until the controller vectored me to the third airport, dover AFB. There are a # of reasons that led to this situation. First, I should of obtained a proper WX briefing from the FSS. I did not ask about the current and forecast WX of the terminals along the route. I did not contact FSS right before I left. I did not contact flight watch en route. I also had the 'I gotta get home' attitude. Finally, when I saw the IMC coming, I should have turned around.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LOW TIME PLT ENCOUNTERS WX ENROUTE AND GETS FLT ASSIST FROM A FRIENDLY APCH CTLR.

Narrative: ON 4/SUN/90 AT APPROX XY30 AM I FILED A VFR FLT PLAN WITH NEWPORT NEW FSS TO FLY FROM WILLIAMSBURG-JAMESTOWN ARPT TO MY HOME BASE OF NE PHILADELPHIA ARPT, DEPARTING 2 HRS LATER. AT THIS TIME I ASKED THE FSS HOW THE WX WAS ALONG MY RTE. SHE STATED THAT IT WAS VFR CONDITIONS ALONG MY RTE. SHE ALSO STATED THAT I SHOULD CONTACT FSS RIGHT BEFORE I LEAVE. AROUND 1 HR PRIOR TO DEP I AGAIN CALLED BY PHONE AND SPOKE TO A SPECIALIST. HE STATED THAT THERE WAS A STORM CELL OVER PATUXENT, BUT IT WAS MOVING NE AT 30 MPH. I THOUGHT THAT THE STORM WOULD BE OFF THE COAST AS I WAS READY TO TKOF. I DID NOT CALL FSS AGAIN. THE WX AT THE TIME WE DEPARTED WILLIAMSBURG WAS MVFR. WITH 34 HRS OF HOOD TIME IN PREPARATION FOR MY INS RATING,I DID NOT THINK FLYING IN THIS WX WOULD BE A PROB. ALSO AS A PRECAUTION, I WOULD STAY IN CONTACT WITH THE TFC CENTERS ALONG THE RTE FOR RADAR ADVISORIES. I DEPARTED ABOUT 1 1/2 HRS LATER. I FLEW DIRECT HARCUM VOR DIRECT KENTON VOR. I ENCOUNTERED LIGHT RAIN AND MODERATE TURB AS I FLEW UP AND OVER THE CHESAPEAKE, BUT STILL IN VFR CONDITIONS NONETHELESS. ABOUT 15 MI NE OF CAMBRIDGE DORCHESTER ARPT, I ENCOUNTERED INS METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS. INSTEAD OF TURNING BACK, I DECIDED TO GO THROUGH IT THINKING THAT I WOULD BE BACK IN VFR CONDITIONS. ABOUT 5 MINS INTO THE IMC, I ENCOUNTERED SEVERE TURB. AT THIS TIME I ASKED THE DOVER APCH CTLR TO VECTOR US TO THE NEAREST ARPT. THE CTLR TOLD ME THAT THE CEILING WAS 1600'. I DSNDED DOWN TO 900' AND WAS NOT ABLE TO SEE THE GND UNTIL THE CTLR VECTORED ME TO THE THIRD ARPT, DOVER AFB. THERE ARE A # OF REASONS THAT LED TO THIS SITUATION. FIRST, I SHOULD OF OBTAINED A PROPER WX BRIEFING FROM THE FSS. I DID NOT ASK ABOUT THE CURRENT AND FORECAST WX OF THE TERMINALS ALONG THE RTE. I DID NOT CONTACT FSS RIGHT BEFORE I LEFT. I DID NOT CONTACT FLT WATCH ENRTE. I ALSO HAD THE 'I GOTTA GET HOME' ATTITUDE. FINALLY, WHEN I SAW THE IMC COMING, I SHOULD HAVE TURNED AROUND.

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.