A C182 pilot VFR rated is caught on top of the clouds and requests a descent through the overcast to...

Attributes
ACN	355849
Time
Date	199612
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : cyy
State Reference	IN
Altitude	msl bound lower : 10500 msl bound upper : 10500
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zau tower : dtw
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Skylane 182/RG Turbo Skylane/RG
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 55 flight time total : 215 flight time type : 55
ASRS Report	355849
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : vfr in imc non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : declared emergency
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

Returning to laf we were stuck above the clouds, cmi approach indicated we could descend in to laf via ZAU. After contacting ZAU they refused to allow us to descend into laf. Flight watch had indicated a hole in the clouds at gyy, in, so we went to gyy. Conditions were no better at gyy and ZAU said we should continue on and find a hole. Running low on fuel we decided to declare an emergency to land at gyy. ZAU vectored us to gyy, we landed uneventfully. In hindsight, we would have been much better off to have declared an emergency over laf and landed there. Conditions were much better at laf than gyy. As PIC, after talking to approach at cmi and explaining that while I don't have an IFR rating I do have 12 hours toward IFR rating and 5 hours actual and flying the ILS, they seemed to indicate that they would vector me into cmi or ZAU would do the same at laf. ZAU was unwilling to vector us into laf even though we were 10 mi due west of runway 10 and the ILS runway, and picking up the ILS. I understand I cannot fly in the clouds VFR. But this was an exceptional situation and will not happen again, as I am completing my IFR as soon as possible.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A C182 PLT VFR RATED IS CAUGHT ON TOP OF THE CLOUDS AND REQUESTS A DSCNT THROUGH THE OVCST TO LAND. THE CTR CTLR REFUSES TO ISSUE A CLRNC THROUGH THE CLOUDS UNTIL THE PLT DECLARES AN EMER. THE ACFT LANDED AT GYY WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT.

Narrative: RETURNING TO LAF WE WERE STUCK ABOVE THE CLOUDS, CMI APCH INDICATED WE COULD DSND IN TO LAF VIA ZAU. AFTER CONTACTING ZAU THEY REFUSED TO ALLOW US TO DSND INTO LAF. FLT WATCH HAD INDICATED A HOLE IN THE CLOUDS AT GYY, IN, SO WE WENT TO GYY. CONDITIONS WERE NO BETTER AT GYY AND ZAU SAID WE SHOULD CONTINUE ON AND FIND A HOLE. RUNNING LOW ON FUEL WE DECIDED TO DECLARE AN EMER TO LAND AT GYY. ZAU VECTORED US TO GYY, WE LANDED UNEVENTFULLY. IN HINDSIGHT, WE WOULD HAVE BEEN MUCH BETTER OFF TO HAVE DECLARED AN EMER OVER LAF AND LANDED THERE. CONDITIONS WERE MUCH BETTER AT LAF THAN GYY. AS PIC, AFTER TALKING TO APCH AT CMI AND EXPLAINING THAT WHILE I DON'T HAVE AN IFR RATING I DO HAVE 12 HRS TOWARD IFR RATING AND 5 HRS ACTUAL AND FLYING THE ILS, THEY SEEMED TO INDICATE THAT THEY WOULD VECTOR ME INTO CMI OR ZAU WOULD DO THE SAME AT LAF. ZAU WAS UNWILLING TO VECTOR US INTO LAF EVEN THOUGH WE WERE 10 MI DUE W OF RWY 10 AND THE ILS RWY, AND PICKING UP THE ILS. I UNDERSTAND I CANNOT FLY IN THE CLOUDS VFR. BUT THIS WAS AN EXCEPTIONAL SIT AND WILL NOT HAPPEN AGAIN, AS I AM COMPLETING MY IFR ASAP.

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.

A C182 pilot VFR rated is caught on top of the clouds and requests a descent through the overcast to land. The center controller refuses to issue a clearance through the clouds until the pilot declares an emergency. The aircraft landed at gyy without further incident.