Narrative:

I contacted sat approach approximately AB45 pm, 30 mi from the airport. ATIS gave the conditions 10000 ft plus, visibility 10 mi, winds 150 degrees at 9 KTS, altimeter 30.00, temperature 66, dewpoint 61. I was given clearance to land on runway 12R. At 23 mi out, next ATIS gave essentially the same report. Altitude en route was 3500 ft, heading 210 degrees. At 15 mi out, visibility started to deteriorate and ATC indicated that the ceiling was 1600 ft broken, 10 mi visibility. I started to descend to 2200 ft and had started a left turn to maintain VFR when I hit a cloud bank and lost visibility. At 2200 ft, I regained visibility and was instructed by ATC to go to 3500 ft. ATC was advised that I had been in a cloud and I was instructed to climb to avoid obstacles in the area. I informed ATC that I was again in the clouds with no visibility. At 3500 ft, I was above the clouds. ATC had been advised that I was not instrument rated, and I was offered the option to fly on top looking for a hole or to be talked in. I had flown the same approach, at night and during the day, on instruments as PIC, with an instructor. On both occasions, ceiling was below 1500 ft with visibility less than 4 mi. I chose to be talked in before the conditions could worsen. At approximately 2000 ft, I broke through the clouds, saw the airport, and made a safe approach and landing. After reviewing the chain of events and discussing the situation with a CFI, I determined that the temperature/dewpoint spread was insufficient to depend on VFR flight at night over a 2 hour period, especially given wind conditions from the gulf of mexico. If flying VFR at night, a full WX briefing should be obtained if leaving the vicinity of the home airport, and special attention should be given to the temperature/dewpoint spread. My experience includes 14 hours of night flying.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN INEXPERIENCED GA PLT ENCOUNTERS RAPIDLY DETERIORATING WX AND MUST BE ASSISTED BY AN APCH CTLR TO A SAFE LNDG.

Narrative: I CONTACTED SAT APCH APPROX AB45 PM, 30 MI FROM THE ARPT. ATIS GAVE THE CONDITIONS 10000 FT PLUS, VISIBILITY 10 MI, WINDS 150 DEGS AT 9 KTS, ALTIMETER 30.00, TEMP 66, DEWPOINT 61. I WAS GIVEN CLRNC TO LAND ON RWY 12R. AT 23 MI OUT, NEXT ATIS GAVE ESSENTIALLY THE SAME RPT. ALT ENRTE WAS 3500 FT, HDG 210 DEGS. AT 15 MI OUT, VISIBILITY STARTED TO DETERIORATE AND ATC INDICATED THAT THE CEILING WAS 1600 FT BROKEN, 10 MI VISIBILITY. I STARTED TO DSND TO 2200 FT AND HAD STARTED A L TURN TO MAINTAIN VFR WHEN I HIT A CLOUD BANK AND LOST VISIBILITY. AT 2200 FT, I REGAINED VISIBILITY AND WAS INSTRUCTED BY ATC TO GO TO 3500 FT. ATC WAS ADVISED THAT I HAD BEEN IN A CLOUD AND I WAS INSTRUCTED TO CLB TO AVOID OBSTACLES IN THE AREA. I INFORMED ATC THAT I WAS AGAIN IN THE CLOUDS WITH NO VISIBILITY. AT 3500 FT, I WAS ABOVE THE CLOUDS. ATC HAD BEEN ADVISED THAT I WAS NOT INST RATED, AND I WAS OFFERED THE OPTION TO FLY ON TOP LOOKING FOR A HOLE OR TO BE TALKED IN. I HAD FLOWN THE SAME APCH, AT NIGHT AND DURING THE DAY, ON INSTS AS PIC, WITH AN INSTRUCTOR. ON BOTH OCCASIONS, CEILING WAS BELOW 1500 FT WITH VISIBILITY LESS THAN 4 MI. I CHOSE TO BE TALKED IN BEFORE THE CONDITIONS COULD WORSEN. AT APPROX 2000 FT, I BROKE THROUGH THE CLOUDS, SAW THE ARPT, AND MADE A SAFE APCH AND LNDG. AFTER REVIEWING THE CHAIN OF EVENTS AND DISCUSSING THE SIT WITH A CFI, I DETERMINED THAT THE TEMP/DEWPOINT SPREAD WAS INSUFFICIENT TO DEPEND ON VFR FLT AT NIGHT OVER A 2 HR PERIOD, ESPECIALLY GIVEN WIND CONDITIONS FROM THE GULF OF MEXICO. IF FLYING VFR AT NIGHT, A FULL WX BRIEFING SHOULD BE OBTAINED IF LEAVING THE VICINITY OF THE HOME ARPT, AND SPECIAL ATTN SHOULD BE GIVEN TO THE TEMP/DEWPOINT SPREAD. MY EXPERIENCE INCLUDES 14 HRS OF NIGHT FLYING.

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.