Pilot encountered IFR WX enroute to destination. Pilot executed a 180 degree turn and was returning ...

Narrative:

XX45 P.M. Depart sch in perfect VFR conditions flying east toward cambridge VOR. 17 mi east of alb arsa (toward cambridge VOR) suddenly cold front fast moving encircled me. I made a 180 degree turn and started to return to sch. Radar coverage had been cancelled by controller previously. I did return to alb approach. Controller: 'I did cancel your coverage.' few mins later I lost signal on my VOR and ADF. I called alb radar again: 'I need a little help, my position.' answer: 'squawk 7700...you are 123 mi west from sch.' I was receiving back my ADF signal and steering back to sch, again in perfect VFR. Upon landing I contacted burlington FSS asking for WX briefing around bennington, vt. All was IFR. Minimum altitude form cambridge to bennington is 2800'. I called chapin field in cambridge. Ceilings up to 2000-2500'. At XX45 P.M. I decided to fly again. Sch was good VFR. Sch tower told me, 'alb chief said they will not cover you with radar.' my question: 'why?' her answer: 'because they don't want to go through same problem as they had before.' after a few mins she cleared me for takeoff. Radar did cover me for next 5 mins and then radar control dropped me off, 'you are too low for my coverage.' I was at 1300'. Here is my question toward chief of radar alb control: 'isn't it mandatory to cover and protect aircraft in arsa control area????? Your saying to sch controller that you will not cover me after second departure...don't you violate regulation?' second question also for chief of the tower: radar service is not only for sep of traffic, but also for protection and especially when pilot is in any, I mean any, difficulty. I presume honorable chief on public payroll does not like pilots to fly in presumably IFR conditions, but still it is his duty to protect whatever it may be. My conditions of flying were marginal, but this is my privilege to fly in those legal conditions. If chief would study (I do not believe his is pilot) IFR plate for bennington approach VOR cambridge, MDA is 2800'. Below that altitude may be perfect MVFR. I am concerned about safety--not only mine, but other aircraft in the air. That was the reason I called radar, not for vectoring me to sch, but for location of me and other traffic.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT ENCOUNTERED IFR WX ENROUTE TO DESTINATION. PLT EXECUTED A 180 DEGREE TURN AND WAS RETURNING TO POINT OF DEP. HE CALLED APCH FOR ASSISTANCE. LATER, HE TOOK OFF AGAIN.

Narrative: XX45 P.M. DEPART SCH IN PERFECT VFR CONDITIONS FLYING E TOWARD CAMBRIDGE VOR. 17 MI E OF ALB ARSA (TOWARD CAMBRIDGE VOR) SUDDENLY COLD FRONT FAST MOVING ENCIRCLED ME. I MADE A 180 DEG TURN AND STARTED TO RETURN TO SCH. RADAR COVERAGE HAD BEEN CANCELLED BY CTLR PREVIOUSLY. I DID RETURN TO ALB APCH. CTLR: 'I DID CANCEL YOUR COVERAGE.' FEW MINS LATER I LOST SIGNAL ON MY VOR AND ADF. I CALLED ALB RADAR AGAIN: 'I NEED A LITTLE HELP, MY POS.' ANSWER: 'SQUAWK 7700...YOU ARE 123 MI W FROM SCH.' I WAS RECEIVING BACK MY ADF SIGNAL AND STEERING BACK TO SCH, AGAIN IN PERFECT VFR. UPON LNDG I CONTACTED BURLINGTON FSS ASKING FOR WX BRIEFING AROUND BENNINGTON, VT. ALL WAS IFR. MINIMUM ALT FORM CAMBRIDGE TO BENNINGTON IS 2800'. I CALLED CHAPIN FIELD IN CAMBRIDGE. CEILINGS UP TO 2000-2500'. AT XX45 P.M. I DECIDED TO FLY AGAIN. SCH WAS GOOD VFR. SCH TWR TOLD ME, 'ALB CHIEF SAID THEY WILL NOT COVER YOU WITH RADAR.' MY QUESTION: 'WHY?' HER ANSWER: 'BECAUSE THEY DON'T WANT TO GO THROUGH SAME PROB AS THEY HAD BEFORE.' AFTER A FEW MINS SHE CLRED ME FOR TKOF. RADAR DID COVER ME FOR NEXT 5 MINS AND THEN RADAR CTL DROPPED ME OFF, 'YOU ARE TOO LOW FOR MY COVERAGE.' I WAS AT 1300'. HERE IS MY QUESTION TOWARD CHIEF OF RADAR ALB CTL: 'ISN'T IT MANDATORY TO COVER AND PROTECT ACFT IN ARSA CTL AREA????? YOUR SAYING TO SCH CTLR THAT YOU WILL NOT COVER ME AFTER SECOND DEP...DON'T YOU VIOLATE REG?' SECOND QUESTION ALSO FOR CHIEF OF THE TWR: RADAR SVC IS NOT ONLY FOR SEP OF TFC, BUT ALSO FOR PROTECTION AND ESPECIALLY WHEN PLT IS IN ANY, I MEAN ANY, DIFFICULTY. I PRESUME HONORABLE CHIEF ON PUBLIC PAYROLL DOES NOT LIKE PLTS TO FLY IN PRESUMABLY IFR CONDITIONS, BUT STILL IT IS HIS DUTY TO PROTECT WHATEVER IT MAY BE. MY CONDITIONS OF FLYING WERE MARGINAL, BUT THIS IS MY PRIVILEGE TO FLY IN THOSE LEGAL CONDITIONS. IF CHIEF WOULD STUDY (I DO NOT BELIEVE HIS IS PLT) IFR PLATE FOR BENNINGTON APCH VOR CAMBRIDGE, MDA IS 2800'. BELOW THAT ALT MAY BE PERFECT MVFR. I AM CONCERNED ABOUT SAFETY--NOT ONLY MINE, BUT OTHER ACFT IN THE AIR. THAT WAS THE REASON I CALLED RADAR, NOT FOR VECTORING ME TO SCH, BUT FOR LOCATION OF ME AND OTHER TFC.

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.

Attributes
ACN	161103
Time
Date	199010
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : sch
State Reference	NY
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2500 msl bound upper : 2500
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : alb tower : sch
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High 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 : 40 flight time total : 12000 flight time type : 3000
ASRS Report	161103
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : vfr in imc inflight encounter : weather other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Pilot encountered IFR WX enroute to destination. Pilot executed a 180 degree turn and was returning to point of departure. He called approach for assistance. Later, he took off again.