Narrative:

I received an FAA WX briefing at teterboro, nj, airport at approximately XA00 am (local time) for a 1 hour flight from teterboro, nj to ithaca, ny. I asked for an IFR briefing, but the WX conditions sounded good enough for a VFR flight below the clouds. The conditions were expected to worsen in ithaca, but not for several hours after the completion of my flight. I departed teterboro about XB30 am VFR. As I neared ithaca, the WX conditions began to rapidly deteriorate with rain and fog beginning to shroud the hills and valleys. Being unfamiliar with the area, I deemed it extremely important to land immediately. The ithaca airport came into view right in front of me and I immediately landed. I did not take time to call the tower because that would have required additional time and maneuvering, and I possibly would have been out of visual reference with the airport by the time communication was initiated. I remained at the airport for 30 mins after landing and saw no other aircraft land, so I do not believe there was a conflict with another aircraft. I do not know what corrective actions should be taken. I am sure the WX briefer gave me the facts as they were given to him. The WX condition changed rapidly and I was not familiar with the terrain. I felt that the safest thing for my passenger, myself and the plane was to get on the ground (in 1 piece). The old adage espousing 'aviate, navigation and communicate' seemed appropriate. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: reporter states he talked to the tower and they were not too happy. They were polite and stated they would have to file a report. Reporter heard from FAA who wanted more information and mentioned remedial training. Reporter feels his actions were necessary to avoid getting caught in the rapidly deteriorating WX.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA SEES DETERIORATING WX, DETERMINES NEED TO LAND IMMEDIATELY. SEES ARPT, LANDS WITHOUT CONTACTING TWR.

Narrative: I RECEIVED AN FAA WX BRIEFING AT TETERBORO, NJ, ARPT AT APPROX XA00 AM (LCL TIME) FOR A 1 HR FLT FROM TETERBORO, NJ TO ITHACA, NY. I ASKED FOR AN IFR BRIEFING, BUT THE WX CONDITIONS SOUNDED GOOD ENOUGH FOR A VFR FLT BELOW THE CLOUDS. THE CONDITIONS WERE EXPECTED TO WORSEN IN ITHACA, BUT NOT FOR SEVERAL HRS AFTER THE COMPLETION OF MY FLT. I DEPARTED TETERBORO ABOUT XB30 AM VFR. AS I NEARED ITHACA, THE WX CONDITIONS BEGAN TO RAPIDLY DETERIORATE WITH RAIN AND FOG BEGINNING TO SHROUD THE HILLS AND VALLEYS. BEING UNFAMILIAR WITH THE AREA, I DEEMED IT EXTREMELY IMPORTANT TO LAND IMMEDIATELY. THE ITHACA ARPT CAME INTO VIEW RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME AND I IMMEDIATELY LANDED. I DID NOT TAKE TIME TO CALL THE TWR BECAUSE THAT WOULD HAVE REQUIRED ADDITIONAL TIME AND MANEUVERING, AND I POSSIBLY WOULD HAVE BEEN OUT OF VISUAL REF WITH THE ARPT BY THE TIME COM WAS INITIATED. I REMAINED AT THE ARPT FOR 30 MINS AFTER LNDG AND SAW NO OTHER ACFT LAND, SO I DO NOT BELIEVE THERE WAS A CONFLICT WITH ANOTHER ACFT. I DO NOT KNOW WHAT CORRECTIVE ACTIONS SHOULD BE TAKEN. I AM SURE THE WX BRIEFER GAVE ME THE FACTS AS THEY WERE GIVEN TO HIM. THE WX CONDITION CHANGED RAPIDLY AND I WAS NOT FAMILIAR WITH THE TERRAIN. I FELT THAT THE SAFEST THING FOR MY PAX, MYSELF AND THE PLANE WAS TO GET ON THE GND (IN 1 PIECE). THE OLD ADAGE ESPOUSING 'AVIATE, NAV AND COMMUNICATE' SEEMED APPROPRIATE. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH REPORTER REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: RPTR STATES HE TALKED TO THE TWR AND THEY WERE NOT TOO HAPPY. THEY WERE POLITE AND STATED THEY WOULD HAVE TO FILE A RPT. RPTR HEARD FROM FAA WHO WANTED MORE INFO AND MENTIONED REMEDIAL TRAINING. RPTR FEELS HIS ACTIONS WERE NECESSARY TO AVOID GETTING CAUGHT IN THE RAPIDLY DETERIORATING WX.

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.