Narrative:

My briefing had grand rapids (our departure point) reporting 1200 ft ceiling and 10 mi visibility. Brainerd (a control zone) reporting 800 ft ceiling with 3 mi, and william area reporting similar conditions as brainerd. No reports of fog or rain in route and conditions were showing improvement throughout the day. I decided at that time to depart grand rapids. Conditions were ok until we got within 15 mi northeast of brainerd. Rain started and ceilings dropped to less than 600 ft with about a mi visibility. I got to the control zone at brainerd and started to fly around the southeast side of it. The further south I flew the worst the conditions got. About 10 mi southeast of the airport I made the decision to turn back to brainerd. My radio malfunctioned. My only means of communication was a hand-held. I was unable to contact ZMP but I was able to contact brainerd on unicom 122.7. I notified 122.7 of my situation and my intentions. Because of the low ceiling and rainy conditions, I couldn't see the brainerd airport (my plane is not equipped with any DME devices). I gave my location at 3-5 mi southeast of airport. Because of the poor visibility I wasn't exactly sure of my location and by stating that I was only 3-5 mi out put me in violation of the control zone. I didn't know if I was in the control zone at this time but I knew there was traffic in the area and I knew I had to guess at my location. I felt it would be a safer situation if I gave my location as close to the airport as I might possibly be, thinking others involved would keep more alert. After I stated my approximately location, brainerd unicom called ZMP to request for me a special VFR clearance to land. While I was waiting for the proper clearance to land I continued flying northeast of the outer edge of the control zone. I located a landmark and started circling. I again contacted unicom to let them know of my circling location. About 15-20 mins of circling landmark I was cleared to land with no reported traffic. After landing, I contacted ZMP by telephoning them from the brainerd terminal. They questioned me on my encroachment into the control zone and talked to me of their concerns over this situation. I explained to them as I did to you in this letter. I gave them my name and phone number. As of today I have not heard more from them. The people at the ZMP and brainerd airport were very helpful to me in handling this situation.

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PVT PLT OF SMA SEL ACFT ON A XCOUNTRY FLT GOT LOST WHEN COUNTERING LOWERING CEILINGS RESULTING IN PENETRATING A CTL ZONE AIRSPACE.

Narrative: MY BRIEFING HAD GRAND RAPIDS (OUR DEP POINT) RPTING 1200 FT CEILING AND 10 MI VISIBILITY. BRAINERD (A CTL ZONE) RPTING 800 FT CEILING WITH 3 MI, AND WILLIAM AREA RPTING SIMILAR CONDITIONS AS BRAINERD. NO RPTS OF FOG OR RAIN IN RTE AND CONDITIONS WERE SHOWING IMPROVEMENT THROUGHOUT THE DAY. I DECIDED AT THAT TIME TO DEPART GRAND RAPIDS. CONDITIONS WERE OK UNTIL WE GOT WITHIN 15 MI NE OF BRAINERD. RAIN STARTED AND CEILINGS DROPPED TO LESS THAN 600 FT WITH ABOUT A MI VISIBILITY. I GOT TO THE CTL ZONE AT BRAINERD AND STARTED TO FLY AROUND THE SE SIDE OF IT. THE FURTHER S I FLEW THE WORST THE CONDITIONS GOT. ABOUT 10 MI SE OF THE ARPT I MADE THE DECISION TO TURN BACK TO BRAINERD. MY RADIO MALFUNCTIONED. MY ONLY MEANS OF COM WAS A HAND-HELD. I WAS UNABLE TO CONTACT ZMP BUT I WAS ABLE TO CONTACT BRAINERD ON UNICOM 122.7. I NOTIFIED 122.7 OF MY SIT AND MY INTENTIONS. BECAUSE OF THE LOW CEILING AND RAINY CONDITIONS, I COULDN'T SEE THE BRAINERD ARPT (MY PLANE IS NOT EQUIPPED WITH ANY DME DEVICES). I GAVE MY LOCATION AT 3-5 MI SE OF ARPT. BECAUSE OF THE POOR VISIBILITY I WASN'T EXACTLY SURE OF MY LOCATION AND BY STATING THAT I WAS ONLY 3-5 MI OUT PUT ME IN VIOLATION OF THE CTL ZONE. I DIDN'T KNOW IF I WAS IN THE CTL ZONE AT THIS TIME BUT I KNEW THERE WAS TFC IN THE AREA AND I KNEW I HAD TO GUESS AT MY LOCATION. I FELT IT WOULD BE A SAFER SIT IF I GAVE MY LOCATION AS CLOSE TO THE ARPT AS I MIGHT POSSIBLY BE, THINKING OTHERS INVOLVED WOULD KEEP MORE ALERT. AFTER I STATED MY APPROX LOCATION, BRAINERD UNICOM CALLED ZMP TO REQUEST FOR ME A SPECIAL VFR CLRNC TO LAND. WHILE I WAS WAITING FOR THE PROPER CLRNC TO LAND I CONTINUED FLYING NE OF THE OUTER EDGE OF THE CTL ZONE. I LOCATED A LANDMARK AND STARTED CIRCLING. I AGAIN CONTACTED UNICOM TO LET THEM KNOW OF MY CIRCLING LOCATION. ABOUT 15-20 MINS OF CIRCLING LANDMARK I WAS CLRED TO LAND WITH NO RPTED TFC. AFTER LNDG, I CONTACTED ZMP BY TELEPHONING THEM FROM THE BRAINERD TERMINAL. THEY QUESTIONED ME ON MY ENCROACHMENT INTO THE CTL ZONE AND TALKED TO ME OF THEIR CONCERNS OVER THIS SIT. I EXPLAINED TO THEM AS I DID TO YOU IN THIS LETTER. I GAVE THEM MY NAME AND PHONE NUMBER. AS OF TODAY I HAVE NOT HEARD MORE FROM THEM. THE PEOPLE AT THE ZMP AND BRAINERD ARPT WERE VERY HELPFUL TO ME IN HANDLING THIS SIT.

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.