IMC in VFR flight and unauthorized penetration of airspace, proximity of TCA.

Attributes
ACN	254378
Time
Date	199310
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : ewr airport : ldj
State Reference	NJ
Altitude	msl bound lower : 700 msl bound upper : 1100
Environment
Flight Conditions	Marginal
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : n90
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other cruise other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 500 flight time type : 200
ASRS Report	254378
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : vfr in imc inflight encounter : weather non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : provided flight assist none taken : anomaly accepted other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I departed linden airport about XX30 pm local time. After 45 mins of sightseeing around raritan bay, the visibility dropped considerably and ground fog moved in over the local area in which I was flying. Realizing I would not make linden airport due to the prevailing conditions, I contacted ewr approach. They issued me a VOR/DME approach into linden, which I denied because I knew minimum descent altitude was approximately the ht of the now dense fog. I was then given vectors and was issued the ILS 4R into ewr. This approach was going fine. At the OM I was told to break off the approach and enter a right base for runway 11. A successful landing was properly executed. My reason for sending in this report is for 2 sits: I may have entered the class B airspace when ground contact was lost, prior to contacting ewr approach, and, after being issued an IFR clearance, I was asked what flight visibility was. At the time it was about 3 mi. After my response of 3 mi, I went IMC, but everything remained under full control. I neglected to tell approach I was IMC. P.south., WX was checked several times before the flight, but I neglected to file a flight plan. The fog was not due to move in until later that evening. Bad judgement on my behalf to takeoff in the first place was my first mistake.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: IMC IN VFR FLT AND UNAUTH PENETRATION OF AIRSPACE, PROX OF TCA.

Narrative: I DEPARTED LINDEN ARPT ABOUT XX30 PM LCL TIME. AFTER 45 MINS OF SIGHTSEEING AROUND RARITAN BAY, THE VISIBILITY DROPPED CONSIDERABLY AND GND FOG MOVED IN OVER THE LCL AREA IN WHICH I WAS FLYING. REALIZING I WOULD NOT MAKE LINDEN ARPT DUE TO THE PREVAILING CONDITIONS, I CONTACTED EWR APCH. THEY ISSUED ME A VOR/DME APCH INTO LINDEN, WHICH I DENIED BECAUSE I KNEW MINIMUM DSCNT ALT WAS APPROX THE HT OF THE NOW DENSE FOG. I WAS THEN GIVEN VECTORS AND WAS ISSUED THE ILS 4R INTO EWR. THIS APCH WAS GOING FINE. AT THE OM I WAS TOLD TO BREAK OFF THE APCH AND ENTER A R BASE FOR RWY 11. A SUCCESSFUL LNDG WAS PROPERLY EXECUTED. MY REASON FOR SENDING IN THIS RPT IS FOR 2 SITS: I MAY HAVE ENTERED THE CLASS B AIRSPACE WHEN GND CONTACT WAS LOST, PRIOR TO CONTACTING EWR APCH, AND, AFTER BEING ISSUED AN IFR CLRNC, I WAS ASKED WHAT FLT VISIBILITY WAS. AT THE TIME IT WAS ABOUT 3 MI. AFTER MY RESPONSE OF 3 MI, I WENT IMC, BUT EVERYTHING REMAINED UNDER FULL CTL. I NEGLECTED TO TELL APCH I WAS IMC. P.S., WX WAS CHKED SEVERAL TIMES BEFORE THE FLT, BUT I NEGLECTED TO FILE A FLT PLAN. THE FOG WAS NOT DUE TO MOVE IN UNTIL LATER THAT EVENING. BAD JUDGEMENT ON MY BEHALF TO TKOF IN THE FIRST PLACE WAS MY FIRST MISTAKE.

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.