Small transport encounters IMC has radar assist to land.

Attributes
ACN	204997
Time
Date	199202
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : csn airport : dca
State Reference	DC
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 3000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : dca
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Transport
Flight Phase	cruise other descent : approach landing other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 38 flight time total : 278 flight time type : 125
ASRS Report	204997
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : weather inflight encounter : vfr in imc non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified cockpit
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

VFR pilot en route from mgm to hef. Encountered deteriorating unexpected WX. Due to limited fuel reserves was unable to continue flight to area of better WX. Pilot had sufficient dual instrument experience to be comfortable executing a radar approach into dca. The result was a successful approach and landing. This situation could have been avoided by diverting at an earlier point in the flight when it became necessary to fly VFR on top of a cloud layer. This would have allowed sufficient fuel to give the pilot more options in choosing a place to descend and land.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMT ENCOUNTERS IMC HAS RADAR ASSIST TO LAND.

Narrative: VFR PLT ENRTE FROM MGM TO HEF. ENCOUNTERED DETERIORATING UNEXPECTED WX. DUE TO LIMITED FUEL RESERVES WAS UNABLE TO CONTINUE FLT TO AREA OF BETTER WX. PLT HAD SUFFICIENT DUAL INST EXPERIENCE TO BE COMFORTABLE EXECUTING A RADAR APCH INTO DCA. THE RESULT WAS A SUCCESSFUL APCH AND LNDG. THIS SITUATION COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED BY DIVERTING AT AN EARLIER POINT IN THE FLT WHEN IT BECAME NECESSARY TO FLY VFR ON TOP OF A CLOUD LAYER. THIS WOULD HAVE ALLOWED SUFFICIENT FUEL TO GIVE THE PLT MORE OPTIONS IN CHOOSING A PLACE TO DSND AND LAND.

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.