Small aircraft aircraft pilot, not instrument rated, flew into IMC conditions.

Attributes
ACN	413200
Time
Date	199809
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : vwv airport : tol
State Reference	OH
Altitude	msl bound lower : 5500 msl bound upper : 5500
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : tol
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 52 flight time total : 550 flight time type : 490
ASRS Report	413200
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : weather inflight encounter : vfr in imc non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Weather
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

This flight, which began at pryor airport in decatur, al, went mostly uneventful into lexington blue grass. The WX briefing at lexington was VFR into detroit. Things rapidly deteriorated in ohio. At 4500 ft I eventually was at 2000 ft MSL. With haze beginning to wisk even lower and as bad as it was, I could not reach flight watch or any approach on any frequency tried. Knowing toledo approach was just north of me, I called them. I had to gain altitude before they responded. I gained altitude as carefully as I could by picking the breaks in the haze as best I could. I wanted to be on a predictable course. It was all that I could think of. I have learned that 'VFR flight not recommended' will no longer be the warning I use not to fly because this briefing indicated my route would be VFR and flyable at the time I had planned. This is the first time to see WX go from good to unbelievably bad in what seemed like mins. My plans are, if possible, to get my instrument rating as soon as I can. I want to thank all concerned in the toledo complex for their help when I needed it.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA ACFT PLT, NOT INST RATED, FLEW INTO IMC CONDITIONS.

Narrative: THIS FLT, WHICH BEGAN AT PRYOR ARPT IN DECATUR, AL, WENT MOSTLY UNEVENTFUL INTO LEXINGTON BLUE GRASS. THE WX BRIEFING AT LEXINGTON WAS VFR INTO DETROIT. THINGS RAPIDLY DETERIORATED IN OHIO. AT 4500 FT I EVENTUALLY WAS AT 2000 FT MSL. WITH HAZE BEGINNING TO WISK EVEN LOWER AND AS BAD AS IT WAS, I COULD NOT REACH FLT WATCH OR ANY APCH ON ANY FREQ TRIED. KNOWING TOLEDO APCH WAS JUST N OF ME, I CALLED THEM. I HAD TO GAIN ALT BEFORE THEY RESPONDED. I GAINED ALT AS CAREFULLY AS I COULD BY PICKING THE BREAKS IN THE HAZE AS BEST I COULD. I WANTED TO BE ON A PREDICTABLE COURSE. IT WAS ALL THAT I COULD THINK OF. I HAVE LEARNED THAT 'VFR FLT NOT RECOMMENDED' WILL NO LONGER BE THE WARNING I USE NOT TO FLY BECAUSE THIS BRIEFING INDICATED MY RTE WOULD BE VFR AND FLYABLE AT THE TIME I HAD PLANNED. THIS IS THE FIRST TIME TO SEE WX GO FROM GOOD TO UNBELIEVABLY BAD IN WHAT SEEMED LIKE MINS. MY PLANS ARE, IF POSSIBLE, TO GET MY INST RATING AS SOON AS I CAN. I WANT TO THANK ALL CONCERNED IN THE TOLEDO COMPLEX FOR THEIR HELP WHEN I NEEDED IT.

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.