Air taxi VFR enters cloud during night flight.

Attributes
ACN	250727
Time
Date	199309
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : x01
State Reference	FL
Altitude	msl bound lower : 4500 msl bound upper : 4500
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zma
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Retractable Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 300 flight time total : 900 flight time type : 250
ASRS Report	250727
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe inflight encounter : vfr in imc inflight encounter : weather non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course flight crew : became reoriented
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

During a night flight from eyw to apf, there were scattered cumulu numbus and thunderstorms. While in contact with center I entered a cloud that I was unable to see until penetration. With no ground reference or lights over the everglades, it was impossible to see the location of clouds at night. When center advised of traffic that was no factor, I admitted to being in a cloud. I initiated a descent and reentered VFR after 40-60 seconds. I advised center and terminated flight following. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter states his destination was naples. Flight had left key west to marathon to naples. Confessed to ATC as he thought it was the safest thing to do. When he once again became VFR he had the lights below and ahead. Felt he was close enough to destination to cancel flight following.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AIR TAXI VFR ENTERS CLOUD DURING NIGHT FLT.

Narrative: DURING A NIGHT FLT FROM EYW TO APF, THERE WERE SCATTERED CUMULU NUMBUS AND TSTMS. WHILE IN CONTACT WITH CTR I ENTERED A CLOUD THAT I WAS UNABLE TO SEE UNTIL PENETRATION. WITH NO GND REF OR LIGHTS OVER THE EVERGLADES, IT WAS IMPOSSIBLE TO SEE THE LOCATION OF CLOUDS AT NIGHT. WHEN CTR ADVISED OF TFC THAT WAS NO FACTOR, I ADMITTED TO BEING IN A CLOUD. I INITIATED A DSCNT AND REENTERED VFR AFTER 40-60 SECONDS. I ADVISED CTR AND TERMINATED FLT FOLLOWING. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATES HIS DEST WAS NAPLES. FLT HAD LEFT KEY WEST TO MARATHON TO NAPLES. CONFESSED TO ATC AS HE THOUGHT IT WAS THE SAFEST THING TO DO. WHEN HE ONCE AGAIN BECAME VFR HE HAD THE LIGHTS BELOW AND AHEAD. FELT HE WAS CLOSE ENOUGH TO DEST TO CANCEL FLT FOLLOWING.

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.