An small aircraft found itself in deteriorating WX.

Attributes
ACN	258551
Time
Date	199312
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : sts
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 4500 msl bound upper : 4500
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : oak
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : private pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 70 flight time total : 1500 flight time type : 250
ASRS Report	258551
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 50 flight time total : 1600 flight time type : 400
ASRS Report	258552
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : vfr in imc inflight encounter : weather non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance controller : provided flight assist other
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

On a ferry flight from gry aaf to midland, tx, we encountered fog and rain which stopped us from flying any further sbound along the california coast. We then proceeded northbound to our last known airfield (little river). Conditions to the north then began to deteriorate and I was afraid that we would not be able to make little river under VFR conditions due to the fog. The other pilot and I decided not to push a bad situation and go IFR. We called oakland approach. We told them that we had inadvertently gone IMC and that we needed radar vectors to sonoma county. We also advised them that we had no approach plates for sonoma county and we were only VOR equipped. They then gave us vectors for a VOR approach. We encountered VFR conditions 20 mi south of sonoma county, picked a visual landing into sonoma county. Our intended airport was san jose. We knew that the ceilings and visibility were low in the bay area but coastal fog was not predicted due to the unstable air. I think that this situation would not have happened if we carried approach charts for all contingencies or recognized the deteriorating conditions earlier. Supplemental information from acn 258552: oakland approach assisted thoroughly and vectored me to the VOR 320 degree sonoma county approach. I telephoned oakland approach and we discussed the events thoroughly in a friendly manner.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN SMA FOUND ITSELF IN DETERIORATING WX.

Narrative: ON A FERRY FLT FROM GRY AAF TO MIDLAND, TX, WE ENCOUNTERED FOG AND RAIN WHICH STOPPED US FROM FLYING ANY FURTHER SBOUND ALONG THE CALIFORNIA COAST. WE THEN PROCEEDED NBOUND TO OUR LAST KNOWN AIRFIELD (LITTLE RIVER). CONDITIONS TO THE N THEN BEGAN TO DETERIORATE AND I WAS AFRAID THAT WE WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO MAKE LITTLE RIVER UNDER VFR CONDITIONS DUE TO THE FOG. THE OTHER PLT AND I DECIDED NOT TO PUSH A BAD SIT AND GO IFR. WE CALLED OAKLAND APCH. WE TOLD THEM THAT WE HAD INADVERTENTLY GONE IMC AND THAT WE NEEDED RADAR VECTORS TO SONOMA COUNTY. WE ALSO ADVISED THEM THAT WE HAD NO APCH PLATES FOR SONOMA COUNTY AND WE WERE ONLY VOR EQUIPPED. THEY THEN GAVE US VECTORS FOR A VOR APCH. WE ENCOUNTERED VFR CONDITIONS 20 MI S OF SONOMA COUNTY, PICKED A VISUAL LNDG INTO SONOMA COUNTY. OUR INTENDED ARPT WAS SAN JOSE. WE KNEW THAT THE CEILINGS AND VISIBILITY WERE LOW IN THE BAY AREA BUT COASTAL FOG WAS NOT PREDICTED DUE TO THE UNSTABLE AIR. I THINK THAT THIS SIT WOULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED IF WE CARRIED APCH CHARTS FOR ALL CONTINGENCIES OR RECOGNIZED THE DETERIORATING CONDITIONS EARLIER. SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION FROM ACN 258552: OAKLAND APCH ASSISTED THOROUGHLY AND VECTORED ME TO THE VOR 320 DEG SONOMA COUNTY APCH. I TELEPHONED OAKLAND APCH AND WE DISCUSSED THE EVENTS THOROUGHLY IN A FRIENDLY MANNER.

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.