IMC in VFR flight -- low time pilot finds himself trapped in lowering WX and declares an emergency. ...

Attributes
ACN	313270
Time
Date	199508
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : elm
State Reference	NY
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3500 msl bound upper : 3500
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zny
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 21 flight time total : 181
ASRS Report	313270
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : vfr in imc inflight encounter : weather other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : declared emergency other other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I was flying VFR from noo to jst. I am not IFR rated. I received VFR flight following from elm. Due to overcast 5 southwest of elm VOR I descended to 3500 ft MSL to maintain VFR. 10 mi later radar service terminated. Southwest of sfk I was unable to remain VFR. Changed course to the southeast toward ipt. Declared an emergency on 121.5 and squawked 7700. Was given ZNY frequency. Ny gave me a squawk and altitude and heading to lhv. Flew in IFR conditions till 4 mi from lhv. Landed lhv in VFR conditions. ATC saved my butt. FBO notified me that FAA had called to confirm my arrival. No return call was requested.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: IMC IN VFR FLT -- LOW TIME PLT FINDS HIMSELF TRAPPED IN LOWERING WX AND DECLARES AN EMER. ATC SAVES HIM.

Narrative: I WAS FLYING VFR FROM NOO TO JST. I AM NOT IFR RATED. I RECEIVED VFR FLT FOLLOWING FROM ELM. DUE TO OVERCAST 5 SW OF ELM VOR I DSNDED TO 3500 FT MSL TO MAINTAIN VFR. 10 MI LATER RADAR SVC TERMINATED. SW OF SFK I WAS UNABLE TO REMAIN VFR. CHANGED COURSE TO THE SE TOWARD IPT. DECLARED AN EMER ON 121.5 AND SQUAWKED 7700. WAS GIVEN ZNY FREQ. NY GAVE ME A SQUAWK AND ALT AND HDG TO LHV. FLEW IN IFR CONDITIONS TILL 4 MI FROM LHV. LANDED LHV IN VFR CONDITIONS. ATC SAVED MY BUTT. FBO NOTIFIED ME THAT FAA HAD CALLED TO CONFIRM MY ARR. NO RETURN CALL WAS REQUESTED.

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.

IMC in VFR flight -- low time pilot finds himself trapped in lowering WX and declares an emergency. ATC saves him.