VFR in IMC for small aircraft.

Attributes
ACN	152862
Time
Date	199007
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : cid
State Reference	IA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 8500 msl bound upper : 13500
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zau
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 60 flight time total : 550 flight time type : 219
ASRS Report	152862
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : vfr in imc inflight encounter : weather non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : exited adverse environment flight crew : declared emergency other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I recieved a WX briefing from columbia FSS in sioux city that reported 4600 scattered 10000 overcast conditions at cedar rapids. I was 40 NM away when I entered a break in the clouds at about 8500' only to find 1 mi visibility in heavy rain and overcast. I executed a 180 degree turn to find the hole to return but it had closed. I then initiated a climb in IMC to approximately 13500' until regaining VMC conditions. I declared an emergency approximately 2 min prior to resuming VFR as I was unsure of my location and was not able to raise FSS on any frequency except 121.5. I was assigned a transponder code for traffic avoidance and given a DF steer to guide me back to ft dodge. I feel the cause of my problem was two-fold; entry into a marginal VFR conditions and poor WX dissemination and reporting by FSS. Also poor radio reception was factor. Better judgement on my part as to near time WX decisions will become a part of my flying in the future and an upgrade in radios will be accomplished on my aircraft. I also feel that video depiction of WX phenomena at sioux city would have caused me to postpone that flight. My alliance of FSS WX briefings will not carry the same weight on my decisions as it had in the past. I would like to see more area type briefings and pc type terminals in more airports.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: VFR IN IMC FOR SMA.

Narrative: I RECIEVED A WX BRIEFING FROM COLUMBIA FSS IN SIOUX CITY THAT RPTED 4600 SCATTERED 10000 OVCST CONDITIONS AT CEDAR RAPIDS. I WAS 40 NM AWAY WHEN I ENTERED A BREAK IN THE CLOUDS AT ABOUT 8500' ONLY TO FIND 1 MI VISIBILITY IN HVY RAIN AND OVCST. I EXECUTED A 180 DEG TURN TO FIND THE HOLE TO RETURN BUT IT HAD CLOSED. I THEN INITIATED A CLB IN IMC TO APPROX 13500' UNTIL REGAINING VMC CONDITIONS. I DECLARED AN EMER APPROX 2 MIN PRIOR TO RESUMING VFR AS I WAS UNSURE OF MY LOCATION AND WAS NOT ABLE TO RAISE FSS ON ANY FREQ EXCEPT 121.5. I WAS ASSIGNED A XPONDER CODE FOR TFC AVOIDANCE AND GIVEN A DF STEER TO GUIDE ME BACK TO FT DODGE. I FEEL THE CAUSE OF MY PROB WAS TWO-FOLD; ENTRY INTO A MARGINAL VFR CONDITIONS AND POOR WX DISSEMINATION AND RPTING BY FSS. ALSO POOR RADIO RECEPTION WAS FACTOR. BETTER JUDGEMENT ON MY PART AS TO NEAR TIME WX DECISIONS WILL BECOME A PART OF MY FLYING IN THE FUTURE AND AN UPGRADE IN RADIOS WILL BE ACCOMPLISHED ON MY ACFT. I ALSO FEEL THAT VIDEO DEPICTION OF WX PHENOMENA AT SIOUX CITY WOULD HAVE CAUSED ME TO POSTPONE THAT FLT. MY ALLIANCE OF FSS WX BRIEFINGS WILL NOT CARRY THE SAME WT ON MY DECISIONS AS IT HAD IN THE PAST. I WOULD LIKE TO SEE MORE AREA TYPE BRIEFINGS AND PC TYPE TERMINALS IN MORE ARPTS.

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.