Non rated instrument pilot attempts to remain on top clouds, night enters IMC.

Attributes
ACN	193419
Time
Date	199111
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : ffu
State Reference	UT
Altitude	msl bound lower : 10500 msl bound upper : 16000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zlc
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Transport, Low Wing, 2 Recip Eng
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	observation : observer
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 90 flight time total : 1200 flight time type : 20
ASRS Report	193419
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 28 flight time total : 400 flight time type : 165
ASRS Report	193605
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : vfr in imc non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I was flying in a friend's small transport as a passenger at the time. We were flying home to ogden, ut, from a trip in bullhead city, az. We were flying at 10500 ft VFR over the top, it was night at the time we came to fairfield when we flew into the clouds, we started to pick up ice. The owner and pilot of the airplane is not an IFR rated pilot, I told him to do a 180, but he said we could get on top. I told him there is no way we are going to be able to get on top, but he elected to climb. At 16000 ft, he decided we couldn't get on top. I was on the radios immediately and told slc center we were in the clouds without a clearance and no IFR charts. We received vector to slc. I am a full time cfii, meii and I started giving instruction to my friend and helped him fly us out of this problem we were in. I was flying with friends and I should have taken the airplane from him, but I wanted to get around a fight for control of the aircraft at the time we entered IFR. It was a problem that I should have been more aggressive at the time.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: NON RATED INSTR PLT ATTEMPTS TO REMAIN ON TOP CLOUDS, NIGHT ENTERS IMC.

Narrative: I WAS FLYING IN A FRIEND'S SMT AS A PAX AT THE TIME. WE WERE FLYING HOME TO OGDEN, UT, FROM A TRIP IN BULLHEAD CITY, AZ. WE WERE FLYING AT 10500 FT VFR OVER THE TOP, IT WAS NIGHT AT THE TIME WE CAME TO FAIRFIELD WHEN WE FLEW INTO THE CLOUDS, WE STARTED TO PICK UP ICE. THE OWNER AND PLT OF THE AIRPLANE IS NOT AN IFR RATED PLT, I TOLD HIM TO DO A 180, BUT HE SAID WE COULD GET ON TOP. I TOLD HIM THERE IS NO WAY WE ARE GOING TO BE ABLE TO GET ON TOP, BUT HE ELECTED TO CLB. AT 16000 FT, HE DECIDED WE COULDN'T GET ON TOP. I WAS ON THE RADIOS IMMEDIATELY AND TOLD SLC CENTER WE WERE IN THE CLOUDS WITHOUT A CLRNC AND NO IFR CHARTS. WE RECEIVED VECTOR TO SLC. I AM A FULL TIME CFII, MEII AND I STARTED GIVING INSTRUCTION TO MY FRIEND AND HELPED HIM FLY US OUT OF THIS PROBLEM WE WERE IN. I WAS FLYING WITH FRIENDS AND I SHOULD HAVE TAKEN THE AIRPLANE FROM HIM, BUT I WANTED TO GET AROUND A FIGHT FOR CTL OF THE ACFT AT THE TIME WE ENTERED IFR. IT WAS A PROBLEM THAT I SHOULD HAVE BEEN MORE AGGRESSIVE AT THE TIME.

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.