Narrative:

I was VFR en route from mgw to pvg when the ceiling went below that which was forecasted. I had checked WX with the flight service station on the field at mgw (FSS) prior to departure. I discussed the WX with the person on duty at the FSS. I observed that it was safe under applicable FARS, etc for VFR flight on the route of flight which I planned. I was never informed by the FSS person at the mgw FSS that VFR flight was not recommended and as I stated VFR flight was permissible for the route for which I filed. I wrote out and filed a VFR flight plan while in the mgw FSS. I asked the mgw tower to put me 'in the system' for handoffs and flight following which they informed me they would do and I was asked by them to confirm that request again upon checking in with charleston when mgw handed me off to them, I did so with charleston. I was with ZDC when the ceiling unexpectedly went below forecasted. I was in the mountains (a valley at that precise time). I went down to 1800 ft plus or minus MSL while communicating with center but they then lost radar contact with me due to that altitude, they informed me there were mountains in the vicinity and on my planned route of flight higher than my altitude. I told them I was going to climb for safety purposes. I climbed IFR (I am a VFR rated pilot) to 6500 ft MSL during which climb center re- established radar contact with me. I informed center of my climb, I continued to communicate with them relative to position and conditions. I was VFR 'on top' at 6500 ft MSL and informed center thereof. I never declared an emergency, I did not squawk an emergency transponder code, and center never declared an emergency. I maintained VFR on top. I was handed off by center to ric and I made a VFR descent from 6500 ft MSL approximately 25 mi northwest of ric, which was my first opportunity to do so. I thereafter continued VFR en route to pvg and landed without incident. The gordonsville VOR being inoperational was a major problem in my opinion. It is an excellent 'fix' to that region of flight given its location on the eastern side of those mountain ranges and its close proximity to the charlottesville, va, airport (the largest in that area). However, in my opinion that VOR has been inoperational for much too long and as I understand it is scheduled to be down for some time still. Furthermore, having elkins, west va, as a major WX reporting station (FSS) is ok but the charlottesville, va, airport, given its location on the eastern side of those mountain ranges, should also have some significant WX reporting capabilities beyond what it currently enjoys. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter states the center never made any comments about his climb and there has been no FAA follow up. The VOR has been OTS for a 'long time' and reporter heard from talk around the airport that it will be a while before it is activated again. Reporter feels strongly that this is a great loss to navigation in this area and needs to be put back in service.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA CLBS IFR ON VFR FLT PLAN TO ENABLE COM AND RADAR CONTACT IN ADDITION TO TERRAIN AVOIDANCE.

Narrative: I WAS VFR ENRTE FROM MGW TO PVG WHEN THE CEILING WENT BELOW THAT WHICH WAS FORECASTED. I HAD CHKED WX WITH THE FLT SVC STATION ON THE FIELD AT MGW (FSS) PRIOR TO DEP. I DISCUSSED THE WX WITH THE PERSON ON DUTY AT THE FSS. I OBSERVED THAT IT WAS SAFE UNDER APPLICABLE FARS, ETC FOR VFR FLT ON THE RTE OF FLT WHICH I PLANNED. I WAS NEVER INFORMED BY THE FSS PERSON AT THE MGW FSS THAT VFR FLT WAS NOT RECOMMENDED AND AS I STATED VFR FLT WAS PERMISSIBLE FOR THE RTE FOR WHICH I FILED. I WROTE OUT AND FILED A VFR FLT PLAN WHILE IN THE MGW FSS. I ASKED THE MGW TWR TO PUT ME 'IN THE SYS' FOR HDOFS AND FLT FOLLOWING WHICH THEY INFORMED ME THEY WOULD DO AND I WAS ASKED BY THEM TO CONFIRM THAT REQUEST AGAIN UPON CHKING IN WITH CHARLESTON WHEN MGW HANDED ME OFF TO THEM, I DID SO WITH CHARLESTON. I WAS WITH ZDC WHEN THE CEILING UNEXPECTEDLY WENT BELOW FORECASTED. I WAS IN THE MOUNTAINS (A VALLEY AT THAT PRECISE TIME). I WENT DOWN TO 1800 FT PLUS OR MINUS MSL WHILE COMMUNICATING WITH CTR BUT THEY THEN LOST RADAR CONTACT WITH ME DUE TO THAT ALT, THEY INFORMED ME THERE WERE MOUNTAINS IN THE VICINITY AND ON MY PLANNED RTE OF FLT HIGHER THAN MY ALT. I TOLD THEM I WAS GOING TO CLB FOR SAFETY PURPOSES. I CLBED IFR (I AM A VFR RATED PLT) TO 6500 FT MSL DURING WHICH CLB CTR RE- ESTABLISHED RADAR CONTACT WITH ME. I INFORMED CTR OF MY CLB, I CONTINUED TO COMMUNICATE WITH THEM RELATIVE TO POS AND CONDITIONS. I WAS VFR 'ON TOP' AT 6500 FT MSL AND INFORMED CTR THEREOF. I NEVER DECLARED AN EMER, I DID NOT SQUAWK AN EMER XPONDER CODE, AND CTR NEVER DECLARED AN EMER. I MAINTAINED VFR ON TOP. I WAS HANDED OFF BY CTR TO RIC AND I MADE A VFR DSCNT FROM 6500 FT MSL APPROX 25 MI NW OF RIC, WHICH WAS MY FIRST OPPORTUNITY TO DO SO. I THEREAFTER CONTINUED VFR ENRTE TO PVG AND LANDED WITHOUT INCIDENT. THE GORDONSVILLE VOR BEING INOPERATIONAL WAS A MAJOR PROB IN MY OPINION. IT IS AN EXCELLENT 'FIX' TO THAT REGION OF FLT GIVEN ITS LOCATION ON THE EASTERN SIDE OF THOSE MOUNTAIN RANGES AND ITS CLOSE PROX TO THE CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA, ARPT (THE LARGEST IN THAT AREA). HOWEVER, IN MY OPINION THAT VOR HAS BEEN INOPERATIONAL FOR MUCH TOO LONG AND AS I UNDERSTAND IT IS SCHEDULED TO BE DOWN FOR SOME TIME STILL. FURTHERMORE, HAVING ELKINS, W VA, AS A MAJOR WX RPTING STATION (FSS) IS OK BUT THE CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA, ARPT, GIVEN ITS LOCATION ON THE EASTERN SIDE OF THOSE MOUNTAIN RANGES, SHOULD ALSO HAVE SOME SIGNIFICANT WX RPTING CAPABILITIES BEYOND WHAT IT CURRENTLY ENJOYS. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATES THE CTR NEVER MADE ANY COMMENTS ABOUT HIS CLB AND THERE HAS BEEN NO FAA FOLLOW UP. THE VOR HAS BEEN OTS FOR A 'LONG TIME' AND RPTR HEARD FROM TALK AROUND THE ARPT THAT IT WILL BE A WHILE BEFORE IT IS ACTIVATED AGAIN. RPTR FEELS STRONGLY THAT THIS IS A GREAT LOSS TO NAV IN THIS AREA AND NEEDS TO BE PUT BACK IN SVC.

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.