Narrative:

At the time of this writing I don't know of any violations due to the nature of the situation. I received a WX briefing by phone just prior to takeoff. The briefer indicated light isolated snow showers over hfd 3 mi visibility 2300 ft ceiling, dxr 4000 ft and clear. He also indicated this WX was not in the forecast for today. After talking to a cfii who just landed after several practice approachs indicated that visibility was pretty good, just passing snow showers. I departed VFR, climbed to 2000 ft and was in snow but had good visibility all around. About 10 mi west of hfd, it became apparent continued VFR would not be possible. I notified tower which turned me over to bdl approach. As soon as approach started to give IFR clearance, I was IMC. There was a great deal of confusion on my part trying to sort out what the controller wanted, as I was trying to navigation to a VOR that I did not know what the frequency was, or the exact heading. I was also trying to locate the appropriate chart, prepare for additional clearance, deal with turbulence then ice. Later, center asked to verify altitude 6000 ft, I confirmed. He advised altimeter setting, I corrected then. I read 6220 ft. I corrected altitude and flew home without further incident. The workload would have been greatly reduced if the controllers would at least give the frequency (navigation) along with a vector to the first position so the pilot can work on the rest of the plan.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C206 PLT GOES IMC IN VFR FLT DURING A NIGHT OP.

Narrative: AT THE TIME OF THIS WRITING I DON'T KNOW OF ANY VIOLATIONS DUE TO THE NATURE OF THE SIT. I RECEIVED A WX BRIEFING BY PHONE JUST PRIOR TO TKOF. THE BRIEFER INDICATED LIGHT ISOLATED SNOW SHOWERS OVER HFD 3 MI VISIBILITY 2300 FT CEILING, DXR 4000 FT AND CLR. HE ALSO INDICATED THIS WX WAS NOT IN THE FORECAST FOR TODAY. AFTER TALKING TO A CFII WHO JUST LANDED AFTER SEVERAL PRACTICE APCHS INDICATED THAT VISIBILITY WAS PRETTY GOOD, JUST PASSING SNOW SHOWERS. I DEPARTED VFR, CLBED TO 2000 FT AND WAS IN SNOW BUT HAD GOOD VISIBILITY ALL AROUND. ABOUT 10 MI W OF HFD, IT BECAME APPARENT CONTINUED VFR WOULD NOT BE POSSIBLE. I NOTIFIED TWR WHICH TURNED ME OVER TO BDL APCH. AS SOON AS APCH STARTED TO GIVE IFR CLRNC, I WAS IMC. THERE WAS A GREAT DEAL OF CONFUSION ON MY PART TRYING TO SORT OUT WHAT THE CTLR WANTED, AS I WAS TRYING TO NAV TO A VOR THAT I DID NOT KNOW WHAT THE FREQ WAS, OR THE EXACT HDG. I WAS ALSO TRYING TO LOCATE THE APPROPRIATE CHART, PREPARE FOR ADDITIONAL CLRNC, DEAL WITH TURB THEN ICE. LATER, CTR ASKED TO VERIFY ALT 6000 FT, I CONFIRMED. HE ADVISED ALTIMETER SETTING, I CORRECTED THEN. I READ 6220 FT. I CORRECTED ALT AND FLEW HOME WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. THE WORKLOAD WOULD HAVE BEEN GREATLY REDUCED IF THE CTLRS WOULD AT LEAST GIVE THE FREQ (NAV) ALONG WITH A VECTOR TO THE FIRST POS SO THE PLT CAN WORK ON THE REST OF THE PLAN.

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.