Narrative:

Left cho direct orange NDB at 2500 MSL direct csn VOR -- encountered marginal VFR abeam jyo -- diverted to mrb and landed. Requested current WX from FSS on field -- bwi 900 scattered 1.3 mi visibility. Mtn 400 scattered, 7 mi visibility -- did not proceed with flight. Returned to mrb and received updated briefing from FSS. Mrb 1700 scattered visibility 7, bwi 1800 scattered, 20 mi visibility, mtn 1700 scattered visibility 15. Departed mrb and encountered intermittent IFR conditions 20 NM west of frederick VOR -- climbed to 3500 to avoid terrain which rises to 2300 in this area -- in the climb, became solid IFR and was not able to execute 180 degree turn to return to VFR due to inability to see terrain -- called baltimore approach, advised them of conditions, requested flight advisories and descent to VFR altitude after frederick VOR, declined IFR clearance at this time and advised controller that I was not currently rated and again requested assistance to return to VFR at lower altitude -- I was advised to descend and maintain 2500, again declined IFR clearance. After third request, accepted clearance and vectors to mtn to intercept the ILS and land on runway 32 -- when told to transit cindy intersection at 2100, I told baltimore approach negative IFR charts and requested vectors to intercept the ILS -- ATC advised crossing cindy asked if I had visible ground reference for which I gave negative response -- ATC released me, terminated radar service, and told me to contact the tower at mtn -- contacted tower, became VFR at 2000 landed VFR. Ground controller told me to contact the tower -- contacted tower, gave them my name, address, and phone number. The main problem involved in this situation was flying VFR into IFR conditions. Should I have been in an area not having hill elevations, I would have executed the 180 degree turn. Upon leaving mrb at the tower's request, I gave them a PIREP that I had good visibility at 2400. It should also be noted that the FSS briefer advised me that an aircraft had been lost in the frederick foothills in feb which also influenced my decision to climb into a safe altitude. Although the ceilings were low, they were adequate for VFR flight especially when coupled with the visibilities current in the area.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA PLT FLIES INTO IMC REQUESTS ASSISTANCE TO VF R CONDITIONS. VECTORS TO ILS APCH.

Narrative: LEFT CHO DIRECT ORANGE NDB AT 2500 MSL DIRECT CSN VOR -- ENCOUNTERED MARGINAL VFR ABEAM JYO -- DIVERTED TO MRB AND LANDED. REQUESTED CURRENT WX FROM FSS ON FIELD -- BWI 900 SCATTERED 1.3 MI VISIBILITY. MTN 400 SCATTERED, 7 MI VISIBILITY -- DID NOT PROCEED WITH FLT. RETURNED TO MRB AND RECEIVED UPDATED BRIEFING FROM FSS. MRB 1700 SCATTERED VISIBILITY 7, BWI 1800 SCATTERED, 20 MI VISIBILITY, MTN 1700 SCATTERED VISIBILITY 15. DEPARTED MRB AND ENCOUNTERED INTERMITTENT IFR CONDITIONS 20 NM W OF FREDERICK VOR -- CLBED TO 3500 TO AVOID TERRAIN WHICH RISES TO 2300 IN THIS AREA -- IN THE CLB, BECAME SOLID IFR AND WAS NOT ABLE TO EXECUTE 180 DEG TURN TO RETURN TO VFR DUE TO INABILITY TO SEE TERRAIN -- CALLED BALTIMORE APCH, ADVISED THEM OF CONDITIONS, REQUESTED FLT ADVISORIES AND DSCNT TO VFR ALT AFTER FREDERICK VOR, DECLINED IFR CLRNC AT THIS TIME AND ADVISED CTLR THAT I WAS NOT CURRENTLY RATED AND AGAIN REQUESTED ASSISTANCE TO RETURN TO VFR AT LOWER ALT -- I WAS ADVISED TO DSND AND MAINTAIN 2500, AGAIN DECLINED IFR CLRNC. AFTER THIRD REQUEST, ACCEPTED CLRNC AND VECTORS TO MTN TO INTERCEPT THE ILS AND LAND ON RWY 32 -- WHEN TOLD TO TRANSIT CINDY INTXN AT 2100, I TOLD BALTIMORE APCH NEGATIVE IFR CHARTS AND REQUESTED VECTORS TO INTERCEPT THE ILS -- ATC ADVISED XING CINDY ASKED IF I HAD VISIBLE GND REF FOR WHICH I GAVE NEGATIVE RESPONSE -- ATC RELEASED ME, TERMINATED RADAR SVC, AND TOLD ME TO CONTACT THE TWR AT MTN -- CONTACTED TWR, BECAME VFR AT 2000 LANDED VFR. GND CTLR TOLD ME TO CONTACT THE TWR -- CONTACTED TWR, GAVE THEM MY NAME, ADDRESS, AND PHONE NUMBER. THE MAIN PROBLEM INVOLVED IN THIS SITUATION WAS FLYING VFR INTO IFR CONDITIONS. SHOULD I HAVE BEEN IN AN AREA NOT HAVING HILL ELEVATIONS, I WOULD HAVE EXECUTED THE 180 DEG TURN. UPON LEAVING MRB AT THE TWR'S REQUEST, I GAVE THEM A PIREP THAT I HAD GOOD VISIBILITY AT 2400. IT SHOULD ALSO BE NOTED THAT THE FSS BRIEFER ADVISED ME THAT AN ACFT HAD BEEN LOST IN THE FREDERICK FOOTHILLS IN FEB WHICH ALSO INFLUENCED MY DECISION TO CLB INTO A SAFE ALT. ALTHOUGH THE CEILINGS WERE LOW, THEY WERE ADEQUATE FOR VFR FLT ESPECIALLY WHEN COUPLED WITH THE VISIBILITIES CURRENT IN THE AREA.

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.