An small aircraft pilot found lowering WX and headwinds.

Attributes
ACN	258039
Time
Date	199311
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0001 To 0600
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : fpr airport : vrb
State Reference	FL
Altitude	msl bound lower : 400 msl bound upper : 3000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zma tower : msp
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	landing : go around other other
Route In Use	enroute : atlantic enroute : on vectors enroute : other oceanic enroute airway : br62v
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 45 flight time total : 530 flight time type : 150
ASRS Report	258039
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe inflight encounter : weather inflight encounter other non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : declared emergency other other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Weather

Narrative:

Departed freeport, bahamas, en route to fort pierce on BR62V. After departing freeport, I called for WX at fort pierce. I was advised that the nearest WX was vero beach, which was 10000 ft overcast, 7 mi visibility and IFR conditions in palm beach. I noticed my ground speed was slow (about 85-90 KTS). I had the required 45 mins reserve required for IFR flight but, with the headwind, it was depleting my fuel supply. I rechked WX later, and was advised that vero was now about 3000 ft overcast. I was at this time in VMC conditions, but noticed along the coast and towards fort pierce a large fog or cloud bank moving south to southeast. I was at the angee intersection at this time. I started the VOR DME approach but advised center of my concern of low fuel and would like to get radar vectors to shorten the approach. I proceeded to intercept the course and descended. I descended down to my MDA but could not see airport and went missed. I tried another approach but was unsuccessful due to WX. I was very concerned about my fuel, so better safe than sorry, I declared an emergency and got priority to be vectored to vero beach where I suspected the WX would be better. I was correct and spotted the airport and landed. I stayed in my aircraft until customs arrived. Along my flight my ADF went inoperative. Also, I had problems with my navigation equipment. I had problems picking up the localizer back at orl and transponder was indicating a 300 ft error back to center. I had 3 passenger to think about also!

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN SMA PLT FOUND LOWERING WX AND HEADWINDS.

Narrative: DEPARTED FREEPORT, BAHAMAS, ENRTE TO FORT PIERCE ON BR62V. AFTER DEPARTING FREEPORT, I CALLED FOR WX AT FORT PIERCE. I WAS ADVISED THAT THE NEAREST WX WAS VERO BEACH, WHICH WAS 10000 FT OVCST, 7 MI VISIBILITY AND IFR CONDITIONS IN PALM BEACH. I NOTICED MY GND SPD WAS SLOW (ABOUT 85-90 KTS). I HAD THE REQUIRED 45 MINS RESERVE REQUIRED FOR IFR FLT BUT, WITH THE HEADWIND, IT WAS DEPLETING MY FUEL SUPPLY. I RECHKED WX LATER, AND WAS ADVISED THAT VERO WAS NOW ABOUT 3000 FT OVCST. I WAS AT THIS TIME IN VMC CONDITIONS, BUT NOTICED ALONG THE COAST AND TOWARDS FORT PIERCE A LARGE FOG OR CLOUD BANK MOVING S TO SE. I WAS AT THE ANGEE INTXN AT THIS TIME. I STARTED THE VOR DME APCH BUT ADVISED CTR OF MY CONCERN OF LOW FUEL AND WOULD LIKE TO GET RADAR VECTORS TO SHORTEN THE APCH. I PROCEEDED TO INTERCEPT THE COURSE AND DSNDED. I DSNDED DOWN TO MY MDA BUT COULD NOT SEE ARPT AND WENT MISSED. I TRIED ANOTHER APCH BUT WAS UNSUCCESSFUL DUE TO WX. I WAS VERY CONCERNED ABOUT MY FUEL, SO BETTER SAFE THAN SORRY, I DECLARED AN EMER AND GOT PRIORITY TO BE VECTORED TO VERO BEACH WHERE I SUSPECTED THE WX WOULD BE BETTER. I WAS CORRECT AND SPOTTED THE ARPT AND LANDED. I STAYED IN MY ACFT UNTIL CUSTOMS ARRIVED. ALONG MY FLT MY ADF WENT INOP. ALSO, I HAD PROBS WITH MY NAV EQUIP. I HAD PROBS PICKING UP THE LOC BACK AT ORL AND XPONDER WAS INDICATING A 300 FT ERROR BACK TO CTR. I HAD 3 PAX TO THINK ABOUT ALSO!

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.