Flight assist to a private pilot in an small aircraft sel when going from VFR to IMC.

Attributes
ACN	294537
Time
Date	199501
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : mry
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3500 msl bound upper : 3500
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : mry artcc : zdc
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise other other
Flight Plan	None
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	other : unknown
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 5 flight time total : 70 flight time type : 70
ASRS Report	294537
Person 2
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : weather inflight encounter : vfr in imc non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : provided flight assist flight crew : exited adverse environment flight crew : declared emergency other
Consequence	faa : investigated faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Weather
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Encountered thin clouds so commenced a descent to remain 500 ft below clouds, then encountered bank of cloud/sea mist which extended from surface to 3000 ft. Commenced climbing turn to avoid clouds, became trapped in clouds and began to become disoriented and concerned. Position was along side coast with mountain range on left. Concerned about heading towards mountains or out to sea while in IMC. Made call to monterey approach, no response, repeated as a pan call, stating VFR rated pilot in IMC. No response. Made a mayday call, another pilot alerted monterey approach. Radar contact established. Approach gave vectors while pilot tried to remain in VMC. After 10 min of mixed IMC/VMC conditions, VFR conditions established. Flight completed to monterey.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLT ASSIST TO A PVT PLT IN AN SMA SEL WHEN GOING FROM VFR TO IMC.

Narrative: ENCOUNTERED THIN CLOUDS SO COMMENCED A DSCNT TO REMAIN 500 FT BELOW CLOUDS, THEN ENCOUNTERED BANK OF CLOUD/SEA MIST WHICH EXTENDED FROM SURFACE TO 3000 FT. COMMENCED CLBING TURN TO AVOID CLOUDS, BECAME TRAPPED IN CLOUDS AND BEGAN TO BECOME DISORIENTED AND CONCERNED. POS WAS ALONG SIDE COAST WITH MOUNTAIN RANGE ON L. CONCERNED ABOUT HEADING TOWARDS MOUNTAINS OR OUT TO SEA WHILE IN IMC. MADE CALL TO MONTEREY APCH, NO RESPONSE, REPEATED AS A PAN CALL, STATING VFR RATED PLT IN IMC. NO RESPONSE. MADE A MAYDAY CALL, ANOTHER PLT ALERTED MONTEREY APCH. RADAR CONTACT ESTABLISHED. APCH GAVE VECTORS WHILE PLT TRIED TO REMAIN IN VMC. AFTER 10 MIN OF MIXED IMC/VMC CONDITIONS, VFR CONDITIONS ESTABLISHED. FLT COMPLETED TO MONTEREY.

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.