GA small aircraft VFR in IMC at night.

Attributes
ACN	171698
Time
Date	199102
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ldm
State Reference	MI
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2500 msl bound upper : 2500
Environment
Flight Conditions	Marginal
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zmp
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other descent other landing other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 44 flight time total : 174 flight time type : 143
ASRS Report	171698
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	other personnel other
Qualification	other
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : weather inflight encounter : vfr in imc non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

VFR flight from lansing to ludington, mi. Filed flight plan and received updated WX at departure time (XA00). Conditions 4500' overcast 10 mi visibility. Forecast for light snow and possible 2000' overcast and 2 mi visibility, after XB00. 60 mi out grr approach told me there was an area of light snow ahead. I asked if I could fly around it and reply was I could. I turned north and after a few more mi the controller said all the precipitation was south and west of my locations. Turning northwest we ran into snow. The are was uncontrolled and we were maintaining VFR, although the actual visibility was difficult to determine. 12 mi out I talked with an aircraft landing at manistee, mi, and he said the visibility there was down to 1 mi. At this time I decided to go ahead and land at ludington or at least see what the approach looked like before going elsewhere. I made a normal approach and landed. There was 4-5' of snow on the runway. The landing was safe and west/O incident. When I closed my flight plan, FSS informed me that the area was all IFR, I told them I was clear of clouds at 2500' and that visibility was somewhat over 1 mi. I later found out it had started snowing at AA00. I started IFR training 2/mon/91.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GA SMA VFR IN IMC AT NIGHT.

Narrative: VFR FLT FROM LANSING TO LUDINGTON, MI. FILED FLT PLAN AND RECEIVED UPDATED WX AT DEP TIME (XA00). CONDITIONS 4500' OVCST 10 MI VISIBILITY. FORECAST FOR LIGHT SNOW AND POSSIBLE 2000' OVCST AND 2 MI VISIBILITY, AFTER XB00. 60 MI OUT GRR APCH TOLD ME THERE WAS AN AREA OF LIGHT SNOW AHEAD. I ASKED IF I COULD FLY AROUND IT AND REPLY WAS I COULD. I TURNED N AND AFTER A FEW MORE MI THE CTLR SAID ALL THE PRECIPITATION WAS S AND W OF MY LOCATIONS. TURNING NW WE RAN INTO SNOW. THE ARE WAS UNCONTROLLED AND WE WERE MAINTAINING VFR, ALTHOUGH THE ACTUAL VISIBILITY WAS DIFFICULT TO DETERMINE. 12 MI OUT I TALKED WITH AN ACFT LNDG AT MANISTEE, MI, AND HE SAID THE VISIBILITY THERE WAS DOWN TO 1 MI. AT THIS TIME I DECIDED TO GO AHEAD AND LAND AT LUDINGTON OR AT LEAST SEE WHAT THE APCH LOOKED LIKE BEFORE GOING ELSEWHERE. I MADE A NORMAL APCH AND LANDED. THERE WAS 4-5' OF SNOW ON THE RWY. THE LNDG WAS SAFE AND W/O INCIDENT. WHEN I CLOSED MY FLT PLAN, FSS INFORMED ME THAT THE AREA WAS ALL IFR, I TOLD THEM I WAS CLR OF CLOUDS AT 2500' AND THAT VISIBILITY WAS SOMEWHAT OVER 1 MI. I LATER FOUND OUT IT HAD STARTED SNOWING AT AA00. I STARTED IFR TRNING 2/MON/91.

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.