Narrative:

I was overflying, the phoenix class B airspace at 11500 ft, and in contact with phoenix approach, and departure. South of the actual airport, the ceilings lowered, quite quickly, and I requested a lower altitude and was denied. I flew on, above the clouds, at controller's direction and continued to state request for a lower altitude. Finally, ATC approved to 7500 ft. I was in IMC for approximately 10 mins, through a cloud deck (seemed like 2 hours). I broke out of the clouds approximately 8900 ft and continued south, to approximately 40 mi north of tucson. It looked like bad WX ahead, so I turned 180 degrees, and flew to chandler municipal, landed and called FSS. I canceled the flight plan to la cholla, and left chandler. I stayed under 3000 ft and flew to falcon field, turned northwest to scottsdale, turned northerly to deer valley then northwest to prescott. Return trip, landed, with no problem. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: this was a matter of not having been versed on informing, and requesting, in pilot/controller communications. Analyst counseled pilot on the importance of offering information, in order to gain assistance, if necessary. This pilot was not aware of the limits of the TRACON's real-time WX knowledge. Pilot did not state to ATC, that the aircraft had entered into IMC, and that reporter was not instrument rated. This pilot is in the wings proficiency program, and was flying a piper arrow.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A NON-INSTRUMENT RATED PLT ENTERED INTO IMC, IN ATTEMPTING TO REACH THE DEST.

Narrative: I WAS OVERFLYING, THE PHOENIX CLASS B AIRSPACE AT 11500 FT, AND IN CONTACT WITH PHOENIX APCH, AND DEP. S OF THE ACTUAL ARPT, THE CEILINGS LOWERED, QUITE QUICKLY, AND I REQUESTED A LOWER ALT AND WAS DENIED. I FLEW ON, ABOVE THE CLOUDS, AT CTLR'S DIRECTION AND CONTINUED TO STATE REQUEST FOR A LOWER ALT. FINALLY, ATC APPROVED TO 7500 FT. I WAS IN IMC FOR APPROX 10 MINS, THROUGH A CLOUD DECK (SEEMED LIKE 2 HRS). I BROKE OUT OF THE CLOUDS APPROX 8900 FT AND CONTINUED S, TO APPROX 40 MI N OF TUCSON. IT LOOKED LIKE BAD WX AHEAD, SO I TURNED 180 DEGS, AND FLEW TO CHANDLER MUNICIPAL, LANDED AND CALLED FSS. I CANCELED THE FLT PLAN TO LA CHOLLA, AND LEFT CHANDLER. I STAYED UNDER 3000 FT AND FLEW TO FALCON FIELD, TURNED NW TO SCOTTSDALE, TURNED NORTHERLY TO DEER VALLEY THEN NW TO PRESCOTT. RETURN TRIP, LANDED, WITH NO PROB. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THIS WAS A MATTER OF NOT HAVING BEEN VERSED ON INFORMING, AND REQUESTING, IN PLT/CTLR COMS. ANALYST COUNSELED PLT ON THE IMPORTANCE OF OFFERING INFO, IN ORDER TO GAIN ASSISTANCE, IF NECESSARY. THIS PLT WAS NOT AWARE OF THE LIMITS OF THE TRACON'S REAL-TIME WX KNOWLEDGE. PLT DID NOT STATE TO ATC, THAT THE ACFT HAD ENTERED INTO IMC, AND THAT RPTR WAS NOT INSTRUMENT RATED. THIS PLT IS IN THE WINGS PROFICIENCY PROGRAM, AND WAS FLYING A PIPER ARROW.

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.