A varieze pilot found himself VFR in IMC.

Attributes
ACN	358710
Time
Date	199701
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : cys
State Reference	WY
Altitude	msl bound lower : 8000 msl bound upper : 8000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Experimental
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise other cruise other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 20 flight time total : 5000 flight time type : 2100
ASRS Report	358710
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	other personnel other
Qualification	other
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : vfr in imc inflight encounter : weather non adherence : far other anomaly
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : provided flight assist flight crew : exited adverse environment flight crew : regained aircraft control flight crew : declared emergency other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Weather
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I got a WX report from tulsa for a VFR flight to cody, wy, jan/thu/97, at XA00 and there was nothing said about any MVFR WX en route to cody. I left sand springs, ok, at XB26 and flew to cheyenne area and there were about 12000 ft ceiling and good visibility. I then flew toward wheatland, wy, at 1000 ft AGL and ran into some worse WX. When the visibility got down to 3 mi, I turned around and started back for cheyenne. It closed in around me and I inadvertently went IFR. I started climbing because of mountains nearby and it got so rough the plane was almost uncontrollable. I then called den flight watch and I told them I was in trouble and they asked me to squawk 7700. I said I would as soon as I could. I had my hands full trying to fly the airplane. At one point I was pulling hard left aileron and still turning right, it was so rough. I talked a few times to denver flight watch. I saw a hole that I told them about and was able to get down through it to VFR conditions. At one point during all this, I told them I was 60 mi and 160 degrees to cheyenne. I had checked casper WX and it was good. The lady at denver flight watch said that that WX wasn't supposed to be there. Next time I will turn around sooner.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A VARIEZE PLT FOUND HIMSELF VFR IN IMC.

Narrative: I GOT A WX RPT FROM TULSA FOR A VFR FLT TO CODY, WY, JAN/THU/97, AT XA00 AND THERE WAS NOTHING SAID ABOUT ANY MVFR WX ENRTE TO CODY. I LEFT SAND SPRINGS, OK, AT XB26 AND FLEW TO CHEYENNE AREA AND THERE WERE ABOUT 12000 FT CEILING AND GOOD VISIBILITY. I THEN FLEW TOWARD WHEATLAND, WY, AT 1000 FT AGL AND RAN INTO SOME WORSE WX. WHEN THE VISIBILITY GOT DOWN TO 3 MI, I TURNED AROUND AND STARTED BACK FOR CHEYENNE. IT CLOSED IN AROUND ME AND I INADVERTENTLY WENT IFR. I STARTED CLBING BECAUSE OF MOUNTAINS NEARBY AND IT GOT SO ROUGH THE PLANE WAS ALMOST UNCONTROLLABLE. I THEN CALLED DEN FLT WATCH AND I TOLD THEM I WAS IN TROUBLE AND THEY ASKED ME TO SQUAWK 7700. I SAID I WOULD AS SOON AS I COULD. I HAD MY HANDS FULL TRYING TO FLY THE AIRPLANE. AT ONE POINT I WAS PULLING HARD L AILERON AND STILL TURNING R, IT WAS SO ROUGH. I TALKED A FEW TIMES TO DENVER FLT WATCH. I SAW A HOLE THAT I TOLD THEM ABOUT AND WAS ABLE TO GET DOWN THROUGH IT TO VFR CONDITIONS. AT ONE POINT DURING ALL THIS, I TOLD THEM I WAS 60 MI AND 160 DEGS TO CHEYENNE. I HAD CHKED CASPER WX AND IT WAS GOOD. THE LADY AT DENVER FLT WATCH SAID THAT THAT WX WASN'T SUPPOSED TO BE THERE. NEXT TIME I WILL TURN AROUND SOONER.

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.