An small aircraft (piper cherokee) runs into WX en route in the area cak, oh.

Attributes
ACN	396100
Time
Date	199803
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : cak
State Reference	OH
Altitude	msl bound lower : 4000 msl bound upper : 4000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : cak
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Retractable Gear
Flight Phase	climbout : initial climbout : intermediate altitude cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : direct
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time total : 1800
ASRS Report	396100
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : departure
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe inflight encounter : weather non adherence : clearance other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : overcame equipment problem flight crew : became reoriented flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I was traveling from mie to hfd. It was very cold that day. At 15500 ft the air temperature was 25 degrees below C, and my oil pressure was dropping. So I contacted civ approach who was providing flight following, and requested to land akron center below me. On the ground the problem seemed to be, that the oil congealed from low temperature and not any apparent leaks, so I proceeded on my trip with the intent of closely watching oil pressure. Tower cleared me for departure out to 4000 ft right hand. At 4000 ft and soon after takeoff there were more showers and solid IFR ahead and to the right, the direction I intended to turn when cleared. I asked to be switched to departure and then informed them I needed to turn left to maintain VFR which I did before being cleared to. The oil pressure started to fall again, and the trim tab froze up. I allowed these two minor problems and my fixation with clearing above the clouds VFR to distract my attention and departure control. I attribute the sequence to poor flying to poor preplanning on my part before departure. Usually when I fly I have several contingency plans in mind but failed to form them, this time, thinking only of mechanical problems.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN SMA (PIPER CHEROKEE) RUNS INTO WX ENRTE IN THE AREA CAK, OH.

Narrative: I WAS TRAVELING FROM MIE TO HFD. IT WAS VERY COLD THAT DAY. AT 15500 FT THE AIR TEMP WAS 25 DEGS BELOW C, AND MY OIL PRESSURE WAS DROPPING. SO I CONTACTED CIV APCH WHO WAS PROVIDING FLT FOLLOWING, AND REQUESTED TO LAND AKRON CTR BELOW ME. ON THE GND THE PROB SEEMED TO BE, THAT THE OIL CONGEALED FROM LOW TEMP AND NOT ANY APPARENT LEAKS, SO I PROCEEDED ON MY TRIP WITH THE INTENT OF CLOSELY WATCHING OIL PRESSURE. TWR CLRED ME FOR DEP OUT TO 4000 FT R HAND. AT 4000 FT AND SOON AFTER TKOF THERE WERE MORE SHOWERS AND SOLID IFR AHEAD AND TO THE R, THE DIRECTION I INTENDED TO TURN WHEN CLRED. I ASKED TO BE SWITCHED TO DEP AND THEN INFORMED THEM I NEEDED TO TURN L TO MAINTAIN VFR WHICH I DID BEFORE BEING CLRED TO. THE OIL PRESSURE STARTED TO FALL AGAIN, AND THE TRIM TAB FROZE UP. I ALLOWED THESE TWO MINOR PROBS AND MY FIXATION WITH CLRING ABOVE THE CLOUDS VFR TO DISTRACT MY ATTN AND DEP CTL. I ATTRIBUTE THE SEQUENCE TO POOR FLYING TO POOR PREPLANNING ON MY PART BEFORE DEP. USUALLY WHEN I FLY I HAVE SEVERAL CONTINGENCY PLANS IN MIND BUT FAILED TO FORM THEM, THIS TIME, THINKING ONLY OF MECHANICAL PROBS.

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.