Small aircraft pilot flies into rising terrain and deteriorating WX. Becomes lost. Flight assist.

Attributes
ACN	241989
Time
Date	199305
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : h35
State Reference	AR
Altitude	msl bound lower : 4500 msl bound upper : 4500
Environment
Flight Conditions	Marginal
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zme
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other other 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 : 53 flight time total : 502 flight time type : 457
ASRS Report	241989
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	observation : passenger
Qualification	other other : other
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : vfr in imc inflight encounter : weather other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : provided flight assist flight crew : declared emergency other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

My wife and I were flying from a lowland area into mountain region which caused a rapid change in VFR flight conditions. We were between the 2 vors we had planned to use and at the top of the memphis map. I tried to 180 degree turn and circled but could not fly below the clouds and maintain proper safe altitude. Unable to establish position and nearest airport I used 121.5 and got jonesboro FSS. The calm assurance of help involved using ZKC, other pilots and extensive investigation of possible landing sites. For some reason we could only establish 1-WAY conversations with ZKC who quickly picked us up and relayed data to vector us. After about an hour of tense flying, mostly above clouds, we were brought down through a hole at miami, ok. When I was forced to climb I literally lost my map reader to closed eyes and hail mary's. Looking back I see a lack of sufficient ability to understand and evaluate WX information, a need for quick reference notes (in large print) for the quick use of pilot, and more complete flight planning. Wrestling with maps can be a big problem when flying, it requires full concentration. I am happy we had full tanks and so much fine help from below.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA PLT FLIES INTO RISING TERRAIN AND DETERIORATING WX. BECOMES LOST. FLT ASSIST.

Narrative: MY WIFE AND I WERE FLYING FROM A LOWLAND AREA INTO MOUNTAIN REGION WHICH CAUSED A RAPID CHANGE IN VFR FLT CONDITIONS. WE WERE BTWN THE 2 VORS WE HAD PLANNED TO USE AND AT THE TOP OF THE MEMPHIS MAP. I TRIED TO 180 DEG TURN AND CIRCLED BUT COULD NOT FLY BELOW THE CLOUDS AND MAINTAIN PROPER SAFE ALT. UNABLE TO ESTABLISH POS AND NEAREST ARPT I USED 121.5 AND GOT JONESBORO FSS. THE CALM ASSURANCE OF HELP INVOLVED USING ZKC, OTHER PLTS AND EXTENSIVE INVESTIGATION OF POSSIBLE LNDG SITES. FOR SOME REASON WE COULD ONLY ESTABLISH 1-WAY CONVERSATIONS WITH ZKC WHO QUICKLY PICKED US UP AND RELAYED DATA TO VECTOR US. AFTER ABOUT AN HR OF TENSE FLYING, MOSTLY ABOVE CLOUDS, WE WERE BROUGHT DOWN THROUGH A HOLE AT MIAMI, OK. WHEN I WAS FORCED TO CLB I LITERALLY LOST MY MAP READER TO CLOSED EYES AND HAIL MARY'S. LOOKING BACK I SEE A LACK OF SUFFICIENT ABILITY TO UNDERSTAND AND EVALUATE WX INFO, A NEED FOR QUICK REF NOTES (IN LARGE PRINT) FOR THE QUICK USE OF PLT, AND MORE COMPLETE FLT PLANNING. WRESTLING WITH MAPS CAN BE A BIG PROB WHEN FLYING, IT REQUIRES FULL CONCENTRATION. I AM HAPPY WE HAD FULL TANKS AND SO MUCH FINE HELP FROM BELOW.

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.