Narrative:

I departed from johnstown, PA, under SVFR conditions to the north and flew southwest past westmoreland, PA. I continued to fly toward my planned landing destination of parkersburg, wv, via interstate highway 79. As I proceeded, conditions began to worsen and I identified the fairmont airport for a landing. At this point the visibility was 3-5 mi. As I approached fairmont the WX appeared to improve, so I continued southwest along the interstate with a 180 degree turn back to fairmont as my plan. In the vicinity of clarksburg the ceiling and terrain reduced to 400-500 ft and the visibility was still 3-5 mi. At that time, thinking clarksburg was a non controled field I decided to proceed to a landing and announced my approach on 122.8. However, upon arriving downwind on runway 21, close in, I saw a control tower and proceeded across the field to the north to hold, and simultaneously selected 121.9, since I did not have the tower frequency at that moment. The tower immediately responded and announced that I was proceeding north to hold. A private aircraft in the final stages of an instrument approach landed and I was cleared to land. Although I planned my flight carefully, knowing the WX conditions were marginal, I failed to stick to my plan by proceeding improperly for a landing at clarksburg. Throughout my flight originating in burlington, vt, I was careful to communicate my position, however, when unable to continue safely I proceeded to a not carefully planned alternate rather than going to fairmont, my uncontrolled alternate. I learned from this experience and avoid the following: 1) flying into worsening conditions to take a look. 2) flying to an unplanned landing at a destination I have not communicated with first.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA ENTERS CKB ATA WITHOUT A FLT PLAN. WX IS IMC.

Narrative: I DEPARTED FROM JOHNSTOWN, PA, UNDER SVFR CONDITIONS TO THE N AND FLEW SW PAST WESTMORELAND, PA. I CONTINUED TO FLY TOWARD MY PLANNED LNDG DEST OF PARKERSBURG, WV, VIA INTERSTATE HIGHWAY 79. AS I PROCEEDED, CONDITIONS BEGAN TO WORSEN AND I IDENTIFIED THE FAIRMONT ARPT FOR A LNDG. AT THIS POINT THE VISIBILITY WAS 3-5 MI. AS I APCHED FAIRMONT THE WX APPEARED TO IMPROVE, SO I CONTINUED SW ALONG THE INTERSTATE WITH A 180 DEG TURN BACK TO FAIRMONT AS MY PLAN. IN THE VICINITY OF CLARKSBURG THE CEILING AND TERRAIN REDUCED TO 400-500 FT AND THE VISIBILITY WAS STILL 3-5 MI. AT THAT TIME, THINKING CLARKSBURG WAS A NON CTLED FIELD I DECIDED TO PROCEED TO A LNDG AND ANNOUNCED MY APCH ON 122.8. HOWEVER, UPON ARRIVING DOWNWIND ON RWY 21, CLOSE IN, I SAW A CTL TWR AND PROCEEDED ACROSS THE FIELD TO THE N TO HOLD, AND SIMULTANEOUSLY SELECTED 121.9, SINCE I DID NOT HAVE THE TWR FREQ AT THAT MOMENT. THE TWR IMMEDIATELY RESPONDED AND ANNOUNCED THAT I WAS PROCEEDING N TO HOLD. A PRIVATE ACFT IN THE FINAL STAGES OF AN INST APCH LANDED AND I WAS CLRED TO LAND. ALTHOUGH I PLANNED MY FLT CAREFULLY, KNOWING THE WX CONDITIONS WERE MARGINAL, I FAILED TO STICK TO MY PLAN BY PROCEEDING IMPROPERLY FOR A LNDG AT CLARKSBURG. THROUGHOUT MY FLT ORIGINATING IN BURLINGTON, VT, I WAS CAREFUL TO COMMUNICATE MY POS, HOWEVER, WHEN UNABLE TO CONTINUE SAFELY I PROCEEDED TO A NOT CAREFULLY PLANNED ALTERNATE RATHER THAN GOING TO FAIRMONT, MY UNCTLED ALTERNATE. I LEARNED FROM THIS EXPERIENCE AND AVOID THE FOLLOWING: 1) FLYING INTO WORSENING CONDITIONS TO TAKE A LOOK. 2) FLYING TO AN UNPLANNED LNDG AT A DEST I HAVE NOT COMMUNICATED WITH FIRST.

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.