Narrative:

I departed VFR from morristown, nj, to rochester, ny, with my wife and son to attend my father's funeral, scheduled for the next day. After the funeral on oct/xx/93, I called buffalo flight watch to check the WX for the return flight. The outlook for an XA00 pm departure was VFR in the rochester area and MVFR in the wilkes-barre and morristown area. While approaching the elmira VOR at 5500 ft MSL, under VFR flight following, I indicated to the controller that I wished to file an IFR flight plan because of marginal VFR conditions. The elmira controller indicated that he could not help and suggested I call williamsport on 122.2 or 122.6. Williamsport radio took the appropriate IFR information and suggested that I call wiles-barre approach in approximately 2 mins to pick up my IFR clearance. After waiting approximately 5 mins, the wilkes-barre approach controller was advised that I was climbing to 7000 ft MSL and that I would require my IFR clearance soon since conditions were worsening. After several mins, I called the wilkes-barre controller again and indicated that I was getting into IFR conditions and needed my IFR clearance. I also gave him my VFR flight following squawk code at this time. At that point the controller said that I must be declaring an emergency situation. I responded that I was not declaring an emergency, however, the controller insisted that I was declaring an emergency. After this confusing dialogue, I decided to concentrate on flying the airplane and approximately 10-15 mins later (10 NM northwest of the wilkes-barre VOR), the controller called back and issued an IFR clearance which was direct wilkes-barre (111.6), direct broadway (114.2), direct mmu (morristown). During the last 10-15 mins prior to getting the IFR clearance, conditions were, at best, marginal. The controller seemed to be declaring an emergency in my behalf. Since he seemed very stressed from his tone of voice, I decided to concentrate on flying the airplane safely and not to continue any further dialogue until he issued the IFR clearance.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA HEADING TOWARD IMC REQUESTS IFR CLRNC. ENTERS WX PRIOR TO RECEIVING, CLBS.

Narrative: I DEPARTED VFR FROM MORRISTOWN, NJ, TO ROCHESTER, NY, WITH MY WIFE AND SON TO ATTEND MY FATHER'S FUNERAL, SCHEDULED FOR THE NEXT DAY. AFTER THE FUNERAL ON OCT/XX/93, I CALLED BUFFALO FLT WATCH TO CHK THE WX FOR THE RETURN FLT. THE OUTLOOK FOR AN XA00 PM DEP WAS VFR IN THE ROCHESTER AREA AND MVFR IN THE WILKES-BARRE AND MORRISTOWN AREA. WHILE APCHING THE ELMIRA VOR AT 5500 FT MSL, UNDER VFR FLT FOLLOWING, I INDICATED TO THE CTLR THAT I WISHED TO FILE AN IFR FLT PLAN BECAUSE OF MARGINAL VFR CONDITIONS. THE ELMIRA CTLR INDICATED THAT HE COULD NOT HELP AND SUGGESTED I CALL WILLIAMSPORT ON 122.2 OR 122.6. WILLIAMSPORT RADIO TOOK THE APPROPRIATE IFR INFO AND SUGGESTED THAT I CALL WILES-BARRE APCH IN APPROX 2 MINS TO PICK UP MY IFR CLRNC. AFTER WAITING APPROX 5 MINS, THE WILKES-BARRE APCH CTLR WAS ADVISED THAT I WAS CLBING TO 7000 FT MSL AND THAT I WOULD REQUIRE MY IFR CLRNC SOON SINCE CONDITIONS WERE WORSENING. AFTER SEVERAL MINS, I CALLED THE WILKES-BARRE CTLR AGAIN AND INDICATED THAT I WAS GETTING INTO IFR CONDITIONS AND NEEDED MY IFR CLRNC. I ALSO GAVE HIM MY VFR FLT FOLLOWING SQUAWK CODE AT THIS TIME. AT THAT POINT THE CTLR SAID THAT I MUST BE DECLARING AN EMER SIT. I RESPONDED THAT I WAS NOT DECLARING AN EMER, HOWEVER, THE CTLR INSISTED THAT I WAS DECLARING AN EMER. AFTER THIS CONFUSING DIALOGUE, I DECIDED TO CONCENTRATE ON FLYING THE AIRPLANE AND APPROX 10-15 MINS LATER (10 NM NW OF THE WILKES-BARRE VOR), THE CTLR CALLED BACK AND ISSUED AN IFR CLRNC WHICH WAS DIRECT WILKES-BARRE (111.6), DIRECT BROADWAY (114.2), DIRECT MMU (MORRISTOWN). DURING THE LAST 10-15 MINS PRIOR TO GETTING THE IFR CLRNC, CONDITIONS WERE, AT BEST, MARGINAL. THE CTLR SEEMED TO BE DECLARING AN EMER IN MY BEHALF. SINCE HE SEEMED VERY STRESSED FROM HIS TONE OF VOICE, I DECIDED TO CONCENTRATE ON FLYING THE AIRPLANE SAFELY AND NOT TO CONTINUE ANY FURTHER DIALOGUE UNTIL HE ISSUED THE IFR CLRNC.

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.