Small aircraft pilot on VFR flight plan encounters IMC conditions and inadvertently penetrates class...

Attributes
ACN	437187
Time
Date	199905
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : den.vor
State Reference	CO
Altitude	msl single value : 6500
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Weather Elements	Rain
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : apa.tower tower : lga.tower
Operator	general aviation : personal
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
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 400 flight time total : 650 flight time type : 19
ASRS Report	437187
Events
Anomaly	airspace violation : entry inflight encounter : weather inflight encounter : vfr in imc
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : exited adverse environment flight crew : exited penetrated airspace
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Flight from okc to den, destination bjc airport. At about 30 NM from den VOR near victor 366, cloud layer seemed to be lowering so I descended to 7000 ft MSL (no lower due to towers between 20-30 NM from den VOR. When towers sighted off left wing, descended to 6500 ft MSL. Meanwhile, apa and bjc ATIS were giving ceilings at 2500 ft and visibility 10 mi. Using GPS/moving map (IFR certified GPS) and DME, planned to skirt apa/centennial airspace to the south then turn northward toward bjc/jeffco. Visibility was approximately 3-5 mi, ceiling estimated at 7000 ft MSL. With no warning, flew into a moderate heavy rainshower. Due to rain on windscreen, forward visibility dropped significantly. Sky was lighter to the northwest so turned in that direction, maintaining altitude using side visibility due to limited forward visibility. Tried to stay clear of apa/centennial's class D airspace but whenever I turned away, visibility forward was worse. Entered apa (centennial) airspace by 1-2 NM and unable to get away until wnw of airport. At that point rain stopped and visibility improved.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA PLT ON VFR FLT PLAN ENCOUNTERS IMC CONDITIONS AND INADVERTENTLY PENETRATES CLASS D AIRSPACE.

Narrative: FLT FROM OKC TO DEN, DEST BJC ARPT. AT ABOUT 30 NM FROM DEN VOR NEAR VICTOR 366, CLOUD LAYER SEEMED TO BE LOWERING SO I DSNDED TO 7000 FT MSL (NO LOWER DUE TO TWRS BTWN 20-30 NM FROM DEN VOR. WHEN TWRS SIGHTED OFF L WING, DSNDED TO 6500 FT MSL. MEANWHILE, APA AND BJC ATIS WERE GIVING CEILINGS AT 2500 FT AND VISIBILITY 10 MI. USING GPS/MOVING MAP (IFR CERTIFIED GPS) AND DME, PLANNED TO SKIRT APA/CENTENNIAL AIRSPACE TO THE S THEN TURN NORTHWARD TOWARD BJC/JEFFCO. VISIBILITY WAS APPROX 3-5 MI, CEILING ESTIMATED AT 7000 FT MSL. WITH NO WARNING, FLEW INTO A MODERATE HVY RAINSHOWER. DUE TO RAIN ON WINDSCREEN, FORWARD VISIBILITY DROPPED SIGNIFICANTLY. SKY WAS LIGHTER TO THE NW SO TURNED IN THAT DIRECTION, MAINTAINING ALT USING SIDE VISIBILITY DUE TO LIMITED FORWARD VISIBILITY. TRIED TO STAY CLR OF APA/CENTENNIAL'S CLASS D AIRSPACE BUT WHENEVER I TURNED AWAY, VISIBILITY FORWARD WAS WORSE. ENTERED APA (CENTENNIAL) AIRSPACE BY 1-2 NM AND UNABLE TO GET AWAY UNTIL WNW OF ARPT. AT THAT POINT RAIN STOPPED AND VISIBILITY IMPROVED.

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 pilot on VFR flight plan encounters IMC conditions and inadvertently penetrates class D airspace.