Non instrument rated private pilot flew into IMC conditions, contacted approach control for help and...

Attributes
ACN	335089
Time
Date	199604
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : dsm
State Reference	IA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2500 msl bound upper : 2500
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : dsm
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise other descent other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 7 flight time total : 231 flight time type : 116
ASRS Report	335089
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : weather inflight encounter : vfr in imc non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : exited adverse environment other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Weather
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

At XX00 local time I called FSS and received a complete briefing. Msp reporting 9500 ft scattered, with conditions deteriorating in route towards I75. I75 not reporting WX, closest reporting station being dsm. Dsm reporting 5000-6000 ft broken, .3 light rain. Terminal forecast for dsm was 4000 ft overcast. I filed a VFR flight plan D97 direct to I75. We departed at XX01 local and climbed to 4500 ft after clearing class B airspace. WX conditions en route agreed with the WX briefing. At approximately amw I descended to 3000 ft to remain VFR. I received the current ATIS from dsm, 4700 ft overcast. I contacted dsm approach control approximately 30 mi north of dsm. I descended to 2700 ft and received radar contact. As I approached dsm, I informed them that my final destination was I75. Approximately 6 mi from I75 I contacted dsm and asked them how low I could go, as ceilings were decreasing. I was told emergency altitude for that area was 1500 ft. I descended down to 1650 ft approximately 3 mi from I75, within a short time conditions went IMC. Evaluating the situation I decided to do a climbing 180 degree turn back to dsm, leveling off at 2500 ft. I contacted dsm approach and told them that I entered IMC. The controller at dsm asked what my intentions were, and being in IMC on a VFR flight plan I told him I was declaring an emergency. The controller asked if I was instrument rated, I replied no. He then asked if I was competent in IMC, I told him yes, and he asked my experience, which I told him 30 hours of instrument time. The controller told me to do a 180 degree turn, which I had already done. He asked me to turn to a heading of 340 degrees, which I had already turned. The controller asked if I would descend back down and I elected to stay at altitude. While en route back to dsm another pilot listening told the controller of VFR conditions 7 mi south of dsm. As I approached that area, conditions improved as indicated and when in 100 percent ground contact the controller asked if I wanted to end my emergency. I replied yes, and landed at dsm without incident.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: NON INST RATED PVT PLT FLEW INTO IMC CONDITIONS, CONTACTED APCH CTL FOR HELP AND DECLARED AN EMER. CTLR PROVIDED HDGS FOR RPTR TO DEPART IMC AND WHEN RPTR AGAIN WAS VMC, HE ENDED THE EMER AND LANDED AT DSM. (NOT THE ORIGINAL DEST).

Narrative: AT XX00 LCL TIME I CALLED FSS AND RECEIVED A COMPLETE BRIEFING. MSP RPTING 9500 FT SCATTERED, WITH CONDITIONS DETERIORATING IN RTE TOWARDS I75. I75 NOT RPTING WX, CLOSEST RPTING STATION BEING DSM. DSM RPTING 5000-6000 FT BROKEN, .3 LIGHT RAIN. TERMINAL FORECAST FOR DSM WAS 4000 FT OVCST. I FILED A VFR FLT PLAN D97 DIRECT TO I75. WE DEPARTED AT XX01 LCL AND CLBED TO 4500 FT AFTER CLRING CLASS B AIRSPACE. WX CONDITIONS ENRTE AGREED WITH THE WX BRIEFING. AT APPROX AMW I DSNDED TO 3000 FT TO REMAIN VFR. I RECEIVED THE CURRENT ATIS FROM DSM, 4700 FT OVCST. I CONTACTED DSM APCH CTL APPROX 30 MI N OF DSM. I DSNDED TO 2700 FT AND RECEIVED RADAR CONTACT. AS I APCHED DSM, I INFORMED THEM THAT MY FINAL DEST WAS I75. APPROX 6 MI FROM I75 I CONTACTED DSM AND ASKED THEM HOW LOW I COULD GO, AS CEILINGS WERE DECREASING. I WAS TOLD EMER ALT FOR THAT AREA WAS 1500 FT. I DSNDED DOWN TO 1650 FT APPROX 3 MI FROM I75, WITHIN A SHORT TIME CONDITIONS WENT IMC. EVALUATING THE SIT I DECIDED TO DO A CLBING 180 DEG TURN BACK TO DSM, LEVELING OFF AT 2500 FT. I CONTACTED DSM APCH AND TOLD THEM THAT I ENTERED IMC. THE CTLR AT DSM ASKED WHAT MY INTENTIONS WERE, AND BEING IN IMC ON A VFR FLT PLAN I TOLD HIM I WAS DECLARING AN EMER. THE CTLR ASKED IF I WAS INST RATED, I REPLIED NO. HE THEN ASKED IF I WAS COMPETENT IN IMC, I TOLD HIM YES, AND HE ASKED MY EXPERIENCE, WHICH I TOLD HIM 30 HRS OF INST TIME. THE CTLR TOLD ME TO DO A 180 DEG TURN, WHICH I HAD ALREADY DONE. HE ASKED ME TO TURN TO A HDG OF 340 DEGS, WHICH I HAD ALREADY TURNED. THE CTLR ASKED IF I WOULD DSND BACK DOWN AND I ELECTED TO STAY AT ALT. WHILE ENRTE BACK TO DSM ANOTHER PLT LISTENING TOLD THE CTLR OF VFR CONDITIONS 7 MI S OF DSM. AS I APCHED THAT AREA, CONDITIONS IMPROVED AS INDICATED AND WHEN IN 100 PERCENT GND CONTACT THE CTLR ASKED IF I WANTED TO END MY EMER. I REPLIED YES, AND LANDED AT DSM WITHOUT INCIDENT.

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.

Non instrument rated private pilot flew into IMC conditions, contacted approach control for help and declared an emergency. Controller provided headings for reporter to depart IMC and when reporter again was VMC, he ended the emergency and landed at dsm. (Not the original destination).