Narrative:

After takeoff from runway 11, and a climb to 600 ft, I announced I was departing to the south. I turned to 180 and continued to climb. I received an ATIS report from adw indicating WX was 5000 ft and 5 mi visibility with haze. At 2500 ft, I turned heading 270 to proceed across the bay, and continued to climb to 3000 ft. I soon realized I was in IFR conditions, no horizon nor sight of the ground, all white. I decided to proceed direct to adw. Rather than return to W29 for several reasons. Adw has a VOR on the field which I was receiving well, (the ATIS report was received on this frequency) making it easy to find under these circumstances. To find adw what I needed to do was maintain 3000 ft and 270, keeping the CDI on my VOR centered. In order to return to W29, I would have had to make a 180 and descend hoping to eventually break out of IFR, however, since there was no clear line where the clouds began I was not sure what altitude this would be. My first reaction after deciding to continue to adw, was to call radar and inform them I was 'inadvertent IFR.' upon radar's request, I confirmed IFR conditions, I was not IFR rated, reported 3000 ft and off the 264 degree radial of adw VOR, no DME on board, 2 sob, 2 plus 30 hours fuel, and squawk 7700. I believe radar contact was established 22 mi east of andrews. I was told to proceed direct to andrews, and after several mins to descend to VFR conditions. I descended to 1500 reporting 500 ft increments. I reported 10 mi east at 1500, was cleared into the TCA, told to descend to 1000 and report the field in sight. I was then told to report a right downwind for 01R. I inadvertently made a right turn (as if to enter a left downwind for 19L), so I quickly told tower I accidentally turned the wrong way and wanted to continue around (270 degrees) to the correct direction. They said no problem. There was a fire truck waiting for us on the ground.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA PLT ENTERS IMC. TUNES VOR AND HEADS TOWARD ARPT CONTACTING APCH CTL.

Narrative: AFTER TKOF FROM RWY 11, AND A CLB TO 600 FT, I ANNOUNCED I WAS DEPARTING TO THE S. I TURNED TO 180 AND CONTINUED TO CLB. I RECEIVED AN ATIS RPT FROM ADW INDICATING WX WAS 5000 FT AND 5 MI VISIBILITY WITH HAZE. AT 2500 FT, I TURNED HDG 270 TO PROCEED ACROSS THE BAY, AND CONTINUED TO CLB TO 3000 FT. I SOON REALIZED I WAS IN IFR CONDITIONS, NO HORIZON NOR SIGHT OF THE GND, ALL WHITE. I DECIDED TO PROCEED DIRECT TO ADW. RATHER THAN RETURN TO W29 FOR SEVERAL REASONS. ADW HAS A VOR ON THE FIELD WHICH I WAS RECEIVING WELL, (THE ATIS RPT WAS RECEIVED ON THIS FREQ) MAKING IT EASY TO FIND UNDER THESE CIRCUMSTANCES. TO FIND ADW WHAT I NEEDED TO DO WAS MAINTAIN 3000 FT AND 270, KEEPING THE CDI ON MY VOR CENTERED. IN ORDER TO RETURN TO W29, I WOULD HAVE HAD TO MAKE A 180 AND DSND HOPING TO EVENTUALLY BREAK OUT OF IFR, HOWEVER, SINCE THERE WAS NO CLR LINE WHERE THE CLOUDS BEGAN I WAS NOT SURE WHAT ALT THIS WOULD BE. MY FIRST REACTION AFTER DECIDING TO CONTINUE TO ADW, WAS TO CALL RADAR AND INFORM THEM I WAS 'INADVERTENT IFR.' UPON RADAR'S REQUEST, I CONFIRMED IFR CONDITIONS, I WAS NOT IFR RATED, RPTED 3000 FT AND OFF THE 264 DEG RADIAL OF ADW VOR, NO DME ON BOARD, 2 SOB, 2 PLUS 30 HRS FUEL, AND SQUAWK 7700. I BELIEVE RADAR CONTACT WAS ESTABLISHED 22 MI E OF ANDREWS. I WAS TOLD TO PROCEED DIRECT TO ANDREWS, AND AFTER SEVERAL MINS TO DSND TO VFR CONDITIONS. I DSNDED TO 1500 RPTING 500 FT INCREMENTS. I RPTED 10 MI E AT 1500, WAS CLRED INTO THE TCA, TOLD TO DSND TO 1000 AND RPT THE FIELD IN SIGHT. I WAS THEN TOLD TO RPT A R DOWNWIND FOR 01R. I INADVERTENTLY MADE A R TURN (AS IF TO ENTER A L DOWNWIND FOR 19L), SO I QUICKLY TOLD TWR I ACCIDENTALLY TURNED THE WRONG WAY AND WANTED TO CONTINUE AROUND (270 DEGS) TO THE CORRECT DIRECTION. THEY SAID NO PROBLEM. THERE WAS A FIRE TRUCK WAITING FOR US ON THE GND.

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.