Narrative:

On aug/xx/94 at XA00 pm, my atx dispatcher informed me (pilot) and observer that he had received a call reporting a cessna 207 circling mab island at a low altitude in need of float plane assistance. We hopped into a cessna 206 amphib and headed north up lynn canal. About 7 mins after departing juneau, we established radio communications with lost pilot of the 207 and proceeded to his location. Lost pilot was located at north island. In an effort to be clearly seen by the 207, we descended to approximately 100-150 ft. The 207 then spotted us and circled behind to follow. Both planes then proceeded on to juneau. Supplemental information from acn 280616: before the flight to haines, I talked to pilot. He stated that his company had been running between haines and juneau. He indicated that the worst WX was better than 500-2 or 500-3 in one area in the lynn canal. WX at juneau was good VFR (2000 overcast, 10 mi visibility) and I departed. As soon as I got to lena point, I switched to 122.9 and started to inquire from other pilots in the lynn canal on the WX situation. The attitude on the radio was that the WX en route from haines to juneau on the east side of lynn canal was good. No one had turned around going in either direction while I was on 122.9. I proceeded north and was approaching mab island when I realized my present heading would not allow me to maintain far minimums. I did a 180 degree turn to return to juneau. It became obvious that WX had deteriorated behind me. I circled in an area just northeast of benjamin island at 500 ft. The WX was deteriorating so I descended from 500-250 ft to remain VMC. Another pilot was able to contact my company, a company float plane came out to north island and I was able to follow him to better WX just 3 mi south, at eagle beach. The WX increased to above far minimums and I returned to juneau.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: VFR ACFT LOST IN IMC.

Narrative: ON AUG/XX/94 AT XA00 PM, MY ATX DISPATCHER INFORMED ME (PLT) AND OBSERVER THAT HE HAD RECEIVED A CALL RPTING A CESSNA 207 CIRCLING MAB ISLAND AT A LOW ALT IN NEED OF FLOAT PLANE ASSISTANCE. WE HOPPED INTO A CESSNA 206 AMPHIB AND HEADED N UP LYNN CANAL. ABOUT 7 MINS AFTER DEPARTING JUNEAU, WE ESTABLISHED RADIO COMS WITH LOST PLT OF THE 207 AND PROCEEDED TO HIS LOCATION. LOST PLT WAS LOCATED AT NORTH ISLAND. IN AN EFFORT TO BE CLRLY SEEN BY THE 207, WE DSNDED TO APPROX 100-150 FT. THE 207 THEN SPOTTED US AND CIRCLED BEHIND TO FOLLOW. BOTH PLANES THEN PROCEEDED ON TO JUNEAU. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 280616: BEFORE THE FLT TO HAINES, I TALKED TO PLT. HE STATED THAT HIS COMPANY HAD BEEN RUNNING BTWN HAINES AND JUNEAU. HE INDICATED THAT THE WORST WX WAS BETTER THAN 500-2 OR 500-3 IN ONE AREA IN THE LYNN CANAL. WX AT JUNEAU WAS GOOD VFR (2000 OVCST, 10 MI VISIBILITY) AND I DEPARTED. AS SOON AS I GOT TO LENA POINT, I SWITCHED TO 122.9 AND STARTED TO INQUIRE FROM OTHER PLTS IN THE LYNN CANAL ON THE WX SIT. THE ATTITUDE ON THE RADIO WAS THAT THE WX ENRTE FROM HAINES TO JUNEAU ON THE E SIDE OF LYNN CANAL WAS GOOD. NO ONE HAD TURNED AROUND GOING IN EITHER DIRECTION WHILE I WAS ON 122.9. I PROCEEDED N AND WAS APCHING MAB ISLAND WHEN I REALIZED MY PRESENT HDG WOULD NOT ALLOW ME TO MAINTAIN FAR MINIMUMS. I DID A 180 DEG TURN TO RETURN TO JUNEAU. IT BECAME OBVIOUS THAT WX HAD DETERIORATED BEHIND ME. I CIRCLED IN AN AREA JUST NE OF BENJAMIN ISLAND AT 500 FT. THE WX WAS DETERIORATING SO I DSNDED FROM 500-250 FT TO REMAIN VMC. ANOTHER PLT WAS ABLE TO CONTACT MY COMPANY, A COMPANY FLOAT PLANE CAME OUT TO N ISLAND AND I WAS ABLE TO FOLLOW HIM TO BETTER WX JUST 3 MI S, AT EAGLE BEACH. THE WX INCREASED TO ABOVE FAR MINIMUMS AND I RETURNED TO JUNEAU.

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.