Narrative:

During the final phase of a return VFR flight from pensacola, fl, in a cessna 120, I was forced to go lower and lower to maintain ground visual contact. Finally when forced down to approximately 200-300 ft AGL, I decided that enough was enough, and upon checking in the GPS database that the nearest airport was 17 mi away, I decided to climb out through the overcast. Upon arrival above the overcast at approximately 4500 ft, I called kankakee flight service to explain my situation (VFR pilot caught in IFR conditions). I had approximately 1.5 plus hours of fuel remaining. Kankakee flight service put me in contact with rfd approach and we discussed the available options, as where to go and what to do. It was determined that the whole area was affected and that sufficient fuel was unavailable to reach a VFR airport. We arrived at a determination that since I had previously been passed at rfd (and therefore was familiar with the area) that a 'ground controled approach' was the best option. Rfd approach put me on a separate frequency, and vectored me on top, until had a 20 mi straight in approach to runway 7. The descent through the IMC was accomplished with some difficulties. But the outcome was satisfactory and an uneventful landing was made on runway 7. Contributing factors were that during a briefing from louisville flight service, I was given the standard 'VFR not recommended,' with the advisory that the springfield/peoria/decatur area was IFR with a chance of improvement. At rockford the ceiling was reported to be 1200-1500 ft with 5 mi visibility. These factors led me to the conclusion that beyond the decatur area the WX was improving. Accordingly, I decided to continue on in VFR conditions as long as possible and attempted to fly around any areas of localized IFR conditions if things did not improve. When I arrived in the decatur area, ceilings were approximately 1000 ft AGL, visibility seemed okay and I pushed on under the overcast. The ceiling moved down further as I proceeded to the north. Upon crossing the illinois river, I was forced down to 200-300 ft AGL to maintain visual contact with the ground. It was at this point when I decided that hoping for better WX further north was futile. I climbed through the overcast and requested help. This situation has taught me that it is time to continue instrument training and to receive my instrument rating.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PVT PLT CAUGHT IN IFR WX, NOT INST QUALIFIED, HAD TO MAKE AN INST GND CTLED APCH.

Narrative: DURING THE FINAL PHASE OF A RETURN VFR FLT FROM PENSACOLA, FL, IN A CESSNA 120, I WAS FORCED TO GO LOWER AND LOWER TO MAINTAIN GND VISUAL CONTACT. FINALLY WHEN FORCED DOWN TO APPROX 200-300 FT AGL, I DECIDED THAT ENOUGH WAS ENOUGH, AND UPON CHKING IN THE GPS DATABASE THAT THE NEAREST ARPT WAS 17 MI AWAY, I DECIDED TO CLB OUT THROUGH THE OVCST. UPON ARR ABOVE THE OVCST AT APPROX 4500 FT, I CALLED KANKAKEE FLT SVC TO EXPLAIN MY SIT (VFR PLT CAUGHT IN IFR CONDITIONS). I HAD APPROX 1.5 PLUS HRS OF FUEL REMAINING. KANKAKEE FLT SVC PUT ME IN CONTACT WITH RFD APCH AND WE DISCUSSED THE AVAILABLE OPTIONS, AS WHERE TO GO AND WHAT TO DO. IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE WHOLE AREA WAS AFFECTED AND THAT SUFFICIENT FUEL WAS UNAVAILABLE TO REACH A VFR ARPT. WE ARRIVED AT A DETERMINATION THAT SINCE I HAD PREVIOUSLY BEEN PASSED AT RFD (AND THEREFORE WAS FAMILIAR WITH THE AREA) THAT A 'GND CTLED APCH' WAS THE BEST OPTION. RFD APCH PUT ME ON A SEPARATE FREQ, AND VECTORED ME ON TOP, UNTIL HAD A 20 MI STRAIGHT IN APCH TO RWY 7. THE DSCNT THROUGH THE IMC WAS ACCOMPLISHED WITH SOME DIFFICULTIES. BUT THE OUTCOME WAS SATISFACTORY AND AN UNEVENTFUL LNDG WAS MADE ON RWY 7. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WERE THAT DURING A BRIEFING FROM LOUISVILLE FLT SVC, I WAS GIVEN THE STANDARD 'VFR NOT RECOMMENDED,' WITH THE ADVISORY THAT THE SPRINGFIELD/PEORIA/DECATUR AREA WAS IFR WITH A CHANCE OF IMPROVEMENT. AT ROCKFORD THE CEILING WAS RPTED TO BE 1200-1500 FT WITH 5 MI VISIBILITY. THESE FACTORS LED ME TO THE CONCLUSION THAT BEYOND THE DECATUR AREA THE WX WAS IMPROVING. ACCORDINGLY, I DECIDED TO CONTINUE ON IN VFR CONDITIONS AS LONG AS POSSIBLE AND ATTEMPTED TO FLY AROUND ANY AREAS OF LOCALIZED IFR CONDITIONS IF THINGS DID NOT IMPROVE. WHEN I ARRIVED IN THE DECATUR AREA, CEILINGS WERE APPROX 1000 FT AGL, VISIBILITY SEEMED OKAY AND I PUSHED ON UNDER THE OVCST. THE CEILING MOVED DOWN FURTHER AS I PROCEEDED TO THE N. UPON XING THE ILLINOIS RIVER, I WAS FORCED DOWN TO 200-300 FT AGL TO MAINTAIN VISUAL CONTACT WITH THE GND. IT WAS AT THIS POINT WHEN I DECIDED THAT HOPING FOR BETTER WX FURTHER N WAS FUTILE. I CLBED THROUGH THE OVCST AND REQUESTED HELP. THIS SIT HAS TAUGHT ME THAT IT IS TIME TO CONTINUE INST TRAINING AND TO RECEIVE MY INST RATING.

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.