A non IFR rated small aircraft pilot gets into IMC conditions.

Attributes
ACN	147174
Time
Date	199005
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : luk
State Reference	OH
Altitude	msl bound lower : 1500 msl bound upper : 2500
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : cvg tower : lax
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 2 Eng, Retractable Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other cruise other
Route In Use	approach : visual arrival other enroute : direct
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 14 flight time total : 875
ASRS Report	147174
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : vfr in imc non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other other
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

VFR flight from mgc to luk via mwo and cincinnati ADF (luk). Turned south tracking in on ADF, 2500', 120 KTS, WX, 6000' overcast. Light rain, visibility 3-5 mi, 4 hours fuel remaining. Aircraft IFR certified 12/89. About 5 mi north of luk ADF I looked down at sectional for approach frequency. Tuned in cincinnati VOR, lunken field ATIS and cincinnati approach. Looked up and found nothing but grey cloud surrounding me. Instant stark terror! Somewhere, somehow, the words 'fly the airplane first' came back. The aircraft was level flight and stable. Second thought, remember the famous 'prudent 180 degree turn'. Third thought, am I alone in this cloud? Having the approach frequency already dialed in, I called approach control. Idented who, where, altitude, direction and the fact I was IMC and not on IFR flight plan. Most pleasant people. Ask is aircraft IFR equipped and pilot IFR rated. The answer, yes and no in that order. 'Ok, squawk identify, descend and maintain 1500', turn right to heading 'such and such'. I don't recall what the numbers were, however, it was about a 45 degree turn. They reported radar contact. Do not descend below 1500'. The airport is at your 12 O'clock and 3 mi. They talked a moment about a reported 1500' ceiling at luk field. I reported 1500' level. Thay said 12 O'clock and 1 mi. Do you have airport. I said, no. They said can't let you go any lower. I shouted, I have the field. They said, ok, contact tower frequency 'so and so'. Called tower, they said cleared to land any runway. I ask which one was regular use? They said runway 2L. I said, I'll take it. Clear to land runway 2L. Did the pattern and landed. On the ground, I called the controller. I gave him all information, told my story. He ask my reason for my visit. I told him tomorrow I start my 14 day program for my instrument rating. IMC time was probably 2 to 3 mins. Felt like hours. My heart felt thanks to the controllers. Their calm, cool, 'simply routine' handling kept my panic down to a mild roar. They are professionals!

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A NON IFR RATED SMA PLT GETS INTO IMC CONDITIONS.

Narrative: VFR FLT FROM MGC TO LUK VIA MWO AND CINCINNATI ADF (LUK). TURNED S TRACKING IN ON ADF, 2500', 120 KTS, WX, 6000' OVCST. LIGHT RAIN, VISIBILITY 3-5 MI, 4 HRS FUEL REMAINING. ACFT IFR CERTIFIED 12/89. ABOUT 5 MI N OF LUK ADF I LOOKED DOWN AT SECTIONAL FOR APCH FREQ. TUNED IN CINCINNATI VOR, LUNKEN FIELD ATIS AND CINCINNATI APCH. LOOKED UP AND FOUND NOTHING BUT GREY CLOUD SURROUNDING ME. INSTANT STARK TERROR! SOMEWHERE, SOMEHOW, THE WORDS 'FLY THE AIRPLANE FIRST' CAME BACK. THE ACFT WAS LEVEL FLT AND STABLE. SECOND THOUGHT, REMEMBER THE FAMOUS 'PRUDENT 180 DEG TURN'. THIRD THOUGHT, AM I ALONE IN THIS CLOUD? HAVING THE APCH FREQ ALREADY DIALED IN, I CALLED APCH CTL. IDENTED WHO, WHERE, ALT, DIRECTION AND THE FACT I WAS IMC AND NOT ON IFR FLT PLAN. MOST PLEASANT PEOPLE. ASK IS ACFT IFR EQUIPPED AND PLT IFR RATED. THE ANSWER, YES AND NO IN THAT ORDER. 'OK, SQUAWK IDENT, DSND AND MAINTAIN 1500', TURN R TO HDG 'SUCH AND SUCH'. I DON'T RECALL WHAT THE NUMBERS WERE, HOWEVER, IT WAS ABOUT A 45 DEG TURN. THEY RPTED RADAR CONTACT. DO NOT DSND BELOW 1500'. THE ARPT IS AT YOUR 12 O'CLOCK AND 3 MI. THEY TALKED A MOMENT ABOUT A RPTED 1500' CEILING AT LUK FIELD. I RPTED 1500' LEVEL. THAY SAID 12 O'CLOCK AND 1 MI. DO YOU HAVE ARPT. I SAID, NO. THEY SAID CAN'T LET YOU GO ANY LOWER. I SHOUTED, I HAVE THE FIELD. THEY SAID, OK, CONTACT TWR FREQ 'SO AND SO'. CALLED TWR, THEY SAID CLRED TO LAND ANY RWY. I ASK WHICH ONE WAS REGULAR USE? THEY SAID RWY 2L. I SAID, I'LL TAKE IT. CLR TO LAND RWY 2L. DID THE PATTERN AND LANDED. ON THE GND, I CALLED THE CTLR. I GAVE HIM ALL INFO, TOLD MY STORY. HE ASK MY REASON FOR MY VISIT. I TOLD HIM TOMORROW I START MY 14 DAY PROGRAM FOR MY INST RATING. IMC TIME WAS PROBABLY 2 TO 3 MINS. FELT LIKE HRS. MY HEART FELT THANKS TO THE CTLRS. THEIR CALM, COOL, 'SIMPLY ROUTINE' HANDLING KEPT MY PANIC DOWN TO A MILD ROAR. THEY ARE PROFESSIONALS!

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.