Narrative:

Filed VFR 63S direct to S98 at 6500 ft. 20 NM en route, encountered scattered clouds at 6000-7000 ft. Climbed to 8500 ft. Ceiling above was solid at 11000-12000 ft. 40 NM en route, cloud layer below became broken and 10 NM later was solid. Forward visibility appeared clear between layers for 30+ NM. Made PIREP to sea flight watch. 65 NM en route, acquired flight following from grant county and noticed what appeared to be a curtain of precipitation to my right front. Forward visibility still appeared good and seemed to offer adequate clearance. 70 NM en route, visibility was lost. Grant county was advised and a 180 degree turn to the right begun. 90 degrees into the turn, icing was encountered and pitot, carburetor and cabin heat were activated. Flight on the reciprocal heading was maintained for 3-4 mins and no breakout experienced. Controller provided vector information toward mwh and acted as right seat instructor in taking me down to VFR conditions at 5000 ft. While destination was reporting ceiling of 12000+ ft, my judgement was poor in this event. The decision to continue VFR between layers after the lower layer became solid (50 NM en route) was wrong. The 180 degree turn should have been activated at that point. My recent hood work for the wings program definitely helped in maintaining control in IMC. The experience tells me to go for the instrument rating as soon as possible.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C172 PLT FLIES INTO IMC ON A VFR FLT PLAN. HE RECEIVES A FLT ASSIST FROM ATC FOR A SAFE LNDG.

Narrative: FILED VFR 63S DIRECT TO S98 AT 6500 FT. 20 NM ENRTE, ENCOUNTERED SCATTERED CLOUDS AT 6000-7000 FT. CLBED TO 8500 FT. CEILING ABOVE WAS SOLID AT 11000-12000 FT. 40 NM ENRTE, CLOUD LAYER BELOW BECAME BROKEN AND 10 NM LATER WAS SOLID. FORWARD VISIBILITY APPEARED CLR BTWN LAYERS FOR 30+ NM. MADE PIREP TO SEA FLT WATCH. 65 NM ENRTE, ACQUIRED FLT FOLLOWING FROM GRANT COUNTY AND NOTICED WHAT APPEARED TO BE A CURTAIN OF PRECIP TO MY R FRONT. FORWARD VISIBILITY STILL APPEARED GOOD AND SEEMED TO OFFER ADEQUATE CLRNC. 70 NM ENRTE, VISIBILITY WAS LOST. GRANT COUNTY WAS ADVISED AND A 180 DEG TURN TO THE R BEGUN. 90 DEGS INTO THE TURN, ICING WAS ENCOUNTERED AND PITOT, CARB AND CABIN HEAT WERE ACTIVATED. FLT ON THE RECIPROCAL HDG WAS MAINTAINED FOR 3-4 MINS AND NO BREAKOUT EXPERIENCED. CTLR PROVIDED VECTOR INFO TOWARD MWH AND ACTED AS R SEAT INSTRUCTOR IN TAKING ME DOWN TO VFR CONDITIONS AT 5000 FT. WHILE DEST WAS RPTING CEILING OF 12000+ FT, MY JUDGEMENT WAS POOR IN THIS EVENT. THE DECISION TO CONTINUE VFR BTWN LAYERS AFTER THE LOWER LAYER BECAME SOLID (50 NM ENRTE) WAS WRONG. THE 180 DEG TURN SHOULD HAVE BEEN ACTIVATED AT THAT POINT. MY RECENT HOOD WORK FOR THE WINGS PROGRAM DEFINITELY HELPED IN MAINTAINING CTL IN IMC. THE EXPERIENCE TELLS ME TO GO FOR THE INST RATING 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.