Narrative:

I was planning on flying from 7MY to ijd by waypoint N07. Around the ny class B, I asked for radar following at 3500 ft in good VFR conditions. I reached N07 and took a direct route to ijd. After crossing the hudson river there were scattered clouds below with tops at approximately 2400 ft. I notified ZNY that I would need to go below the clouds which appeared to be totally overcast ahead and at around the connecticut border. ZNY advised me that danbury was about 10 mi ahead and they were reporting IFR and ceiling of approximately 900 ft. At this point I contacted danbury control tower. At 5 mi s-sw of danbury the ceiling was 1000 ft and it was overcast. I decided that it was unsafe to go below 1000 ft due to terrain and radio towers that were nearby. I recognized I was in trouble and told danbury I was uncertain of my position and that I needed help. Danbury suggested I squawk at 7700 and try to be picked up by ZNY, which I did. By this time I was southeast of danbury at 950 ft with my tail in the clouds, but with good visibility of the ground. I could see danbury to the north and told danbury I was planning on flying over what looked like a commercial mall and then circle to see if they could find me. The tower found me 3 mi east of the airport and gave me instructions to land. I landed and was invited to the tower to chat about my judgement errors. The 2 controllers were excellent, the chat was therapeutic, and I was able to find ground transportation to my destination in vernon, ct. The single biggest mistake was to go from VFR into IFR conditions, and not resist the desire to get the plane on the ground at the nearest airport. I can thank the 2 controllers at danbury that I'm able to write this report.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA FLIES INTO IMC AND RECEIVES FLT ASSISTANCE FROM TWR CTLR.

Narrative: I WAS PLANNING ON FLYING FROM 7MY TO IJD BY WAYPOINT N07. AROUND THE NY CLASS B, I ASKED FOR RADAR FOLLOWING AT 3500 FT IN GOOD VFR CONDITIONS. I REACHED N07 AND TOOK A DIRECT RTE TO IJD. AFTER XING THE HUDSON RIVER THERE WERE SCATTERED CLOUDS BELOW WITH TOPS AT APPROX 2400 FT. I NOTIFIED ZNY THAT I WOULD NEED TO GO BELOW THE CLOUDS WHICH APPEARED TO BE TOTALLY OVCST AHEAD AND AT AROUND THE CONNECTICUT BORDER. ZNY ADVISED ME THAT DANBURY WAS ABOUT 10 MI AHEAD AND THEY WERE RPTING IFR AND CEILING OF APPROX 900 FT. AT THIS POINT I CONTACTED DANBURY CTL TWR. AT 5 MI S-SW OF DANBURY THE CEILING WAS 1000 FT AND IT WAS OVCST. I DECIDED THAT IT WAS UNSAFE TO GO BELOW 1000 FT DUE TO TERRAIN AND RADIO TWRS THAT WERE NEARBY. I RECOGNIZED I WAS IN TROUBLE AND TOLD DANBURY I WAS UNCERTAIN OF MY POS AND THAT I NEEDED HELP. DANBURY SUGGESTED I SQUAWK AT 7700 AND TRY TO BE PICKED UP BY ZNY, WHICH I DID. BY THIS TIME I WAS SE OF DANBURY AT 950 FT WITH MY TAIL IN THE CLOUDS, BUT WITH GOOD VISIBILITY OF THE GND. I COULD SEE DANBURY TO THE N AND TOLD DANBURY I WAS PLANNING ON FLYING OVER WHAT LOOKED LIKE A COMMERCIAL MALL AND THEN CIRCLE TO SEE IF THEY COULD FIND ME. THE TWR FOUND ME 3 MI E OF THE ARPT AND GAVE ME INSTRUCTIONS TO LAND. I LANDED AND WAS INVITED TO THE TWR TO CHAT ABOUT MY JUDGEMENT ERRORS. THE 2 CTLRS WERE EXCELLENT, THE CHAT WAS THERAPEUTIC, AND I WAS ABLE TO FIND GND TRANSPORTATION TO MY DEST IN VERNON, CT. THE SINGLE BIGGEST MISTAKE WAS TO GO FROM VFR INTO IFR CONDITIONS, AND NOT RESIST THE DESIRE TO GET THE PLANE ON THE GND AT THE NEAREST ARPT. I CAN THANK THE 2 CTLRS AT DANBURY THAT I'M ABLE TO WRITE THIS RPT.

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.