Small aircraft twin was maneuvering to avoid IMC conditions. Pilot requested IFR clearance from cent...

Attributes
ACN	414685
Time
Date	199809
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : ena
State Reference	AK
Altitude	msl bound lower : 5000 msl bound upper : 11500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : phx
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise other cruise other descent other
Route In Use	enroute : direct
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 127 flight time total : 7600 flight time type : 838
ASRS Report	414685
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : weather other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

I was VFR en route on a VFR flight plan from iliamna, ak, to palmer, ak, at about XA30 at 11500 ft, VFR, 030 degree heading with undercast at about 10000 ft and clouds ahead and to the east. The 15 mi visibility was slowly going down to 3 or 4 mi. I was about 8 mi of kenai VOR and I called to request: present position IFR direct to big lake VOR, then direct to palmer. Center told me to maintain VFR awaiting clearance. It was clrer to the west. I soon turned north, then west in a min or so. Center then told me to turn to 180 degrees to avoid IFR traffic, then gave me a phone number to call because of possible conflict with another aircraft. Then I was given a clearance to descend to 5000 ft on heading 090 degrees. Soon, clearance was given: direct anc VOR, direct big lake VOR, maintain 5000 ft. No further problems. Corrective action: when I saw clouds developing ahead, I should have contacted center on approach for clearance sooner.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA TWIN WAS MANEUVERING TO AVOID IMC CONDITIONS. PLT REQUESTED IFR CLRNC FROM CTR CTLR.

Narrative: I WAS VFR ENRTE ON A VFR FLT PLAN FROM ILIAMNA, AK, TO PALMER, AK, AT ABOUT XA30 AT 11500 FT, VFR, 030 DEG HDG WITH UNDERCAST AT ABOUT 10000 FT AND CLOUDS AHEAD AND TO THE E. THE 15 MI VISIBILITY WAS SLOWLY GOING DOWN TO 3 OR 4 MI. I WAS ABOUT 8 MI OF KENAI VOR AND I CALLED TO REQUEST: PRESENT POS IFR DIRECT TO BIG LAKE VOR, THEN DIRECT TO PALMER. CTR TOLD ME TO MAINTAIN VFR AWAITING CLRNC. IT WAS CLRER TO THE W. I SOON TURNED N, THEN W IN A MIN OR SO. CTR THEN TOLD ME TO TURN TO 180 DEGS TO AVOID IFR TFC, THEN GAVE ME A PHONE NUMBER TO CALL BECAUSE OF POSSIBLE CONFLICT WITH ANOTHER ACFT. THEN I WAS GIVEN A CLRNC TO DSND TO 5000 FT ON HDG 090 DEGS. SOON, CLRNC WAS GIVEN: DIRECT ANC VOR, DIRECT BIG LAKE VOR, MAINTAIN 5000 FT. NO FURTHER PROBS. CORRECTIVE ACTION: WHEN I SAW CLOUDS DEVELOPING AHEAD, I SHOULD HAVE CONTACTED CTR ON APCH FOR CLRNC 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.

Small aircraft twin was maneuvering to avoid IMC conditions. Pilot requested IFR clearance from center controller.