Aircraft flown into IMC without clearance.

Attributes
ACN	427824
Time
Date	199902
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : opf.airport
State Reference	FL
Altitude	msl bound lower : 200 msl bound upper : 1700
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : opf.tower
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	PA-28 Cherokee/Archer II/Dakota/Pillan/Warrior
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	cruise : level cruise : enroute altitude change
Route In Use	approach : visual
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	controller : local instruction : instructor
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : commercial pilot : cfi pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 900 flight time type : 500
ASRS Report	427824
Person 2
Affiliation	other
Function	instruction : trainee
Qualification	pilot : private
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : vfr in imc non adherence : far other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : provided flight assist flight crew : exited adverse environment flight crew : diverted to another airport
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

From the ground the WX looked great. I did not bother to call FSS because it was just a short flight to the practice area. I knew there was fog around but I thought that if the airplanes doing the traffic watch were up (I had been listening to them on my way to work) then everything was ok. After departure we entered IMC. I did not want to request an IFR clearance, so I did a 180 degree turn but it was too late, so I continued descending from VFR conditions at 1700 ft to 200 ft AGL then back up to the top of the clouds where I requested assistance to the opf tower who vectored me to a nearby airport (hwo) where we landed safely. In retrospect, I should've kept my cool and requested an IFR clearance back to opf when I was VFR on top of the clouds, but I thought that by just doing a 180 degree turn I would be able to get back to the airport and when I realized that I could not, I just kept descending below a safe altitude. I think getting into IMC all of a sudden confused me and it took 10 seconds to regain my cool, but by then I had descended to 200 ft AGL. I think if I'd had more actual IMC experience it would've helped.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACFT FLOWN INTO IMC WITHOUT CLRNC.

Narrative: FROM THE GND THE WX LOOKED GREAT. I DID NOT BOTHER TO CALL FSS BECAUSE IT WAS JUST A SHORT FLT TO THE PRACTICE AREA. I KNEW THERE WAS FOG AROUND BUT I THOUGHT THAT IF THE AIRPLANES DOING THE TFC WATCH WERE UP (I HAD BEEN LISTENING TO THEM ON MY WAY TO WORK) THEN EVERYTHING WAS OK. AFTER DEP WE ENTERED IMC. I DID NOT WANT TO REQUEST AN IFR CLRNC, SO I DID A 180 DEG TURN BUT IT WAS TOO LATE, SO I CONTINUED DSNDING FROM VFR CONDITIONS AT 1700 FT TO 200 FT AGL THEN BACK UP TO THE TOP OF THE CLOUDS WHERE I REQUESTED ASSISTANCE TO THE OPF TWR WHO VECTORED ME TO A NEARBY ARPT (HWO) WHERE WE LANDED SAFELY. IN RETROSPECT, I SHOULD'VE KEPT MY COOL AND REQUESTED AN IFR CLRNC BACK TO OPF WHEN I WAS VFR ON TOP OF THE CLOUDS, BUT I THOUGHT THAT BY JUST DOING A 180 DEG TURN I WOULD BE ABLE TO GET BACK TO THE ARPT AND WHEN I REALIZED THAT I COULD NOT, I JUST KEPT DSNDING BELOW A SAFE ALT. I THINK GETTING INTO IMC ALL OF A SUDDEN CONFUSED ME AND IT TOOK 10 SECONDS TO REGAIN MY COOL, BUT BY THEN I HAD DSNDED TO 200 FT AGL. I THINK IF I'D HAD MORE ACTUAL IMC EXPERIENCE IT WOULD'VE HELPED.

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.