C177 pilot requests ATC assistance to locate VFR airport.

Attributes
ACN	439652
Time
Date	199906
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
State Reference	NY
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2000 msl bound upper : 5500
Environment
Flight Conditions	Marginal
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : n90.tracon
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Cardinal 177/177RG
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Route In Use	approach : visual
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 16 flight time total : 310 flight time type : 80
ASRS Report	439652
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : vfr in imc inflight encounter : weather non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : provided flight assist flight crew : landed as precaution
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Weather
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

Cruising at 5500 ft sebound from huo VOR, began descent to maintain VFR below clouds directly crossing flight path. Cloud bases became succeedingly lower, so decided to reverse course with a climbing 180 degree turn. Found clouds closed in behind me, so continued to maintain VFR flight within approximately 3-5 mi diameter open sky area surrounded by higher clouds, flying above scattered bases below me. I contacted new york approach for radar vector assistance to nearest VFR field. Descended through scattered base and was vectored to swf for VFR landing. Should have gotten efas WX update while positioned northwest of huo VOR. Would have provided more time for alternate route diversion and/or termination of flight prior to requesting ATC assistance.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C177 PLT REQUESTS ATC ASSISTANCE TO LOCATE VFR ARPT.

Narrative: CRUISING AT 5500 FT SEBOUND FROM HUO VOR, BEGAN DSCNT TO MAINTAIN VFR BELOW CLOUDS DIRECTLY XING FLT PATH. CLOUD BASES BECAME SUCCEEDINGLY LOWER, SO DECIDED TO REVERSE COURSE WITH A CLBING 180 DEG TURN. FOUND CLOUDS CLOSED IN BEHIND ME, SO CONTINUED TO MAINTAIN VFR FLT WITHIN APPROX 3-5 MI DIAMETER OPEN SKY AREA SURROUNDED BY HIGHER CLOUDS, FLYING ABOVE SCATTERED BASES BELOW ME. I CONTACTED NEW YORK APCH FOR RADAR VECTOR ASSISTANCE TO NEAREST VFR FIELD. DSNDED THROUGH SCATTERED BASE AND WAS VECTORED TO SWF FOR VFR LNDG. SHOULD HAVE GOTTEN EFAS WX UPDATE WHILE POSITIONED NW OF HUO VOR. WOULD HAVE PROVIDED MORE TIME FOR ALTERNATE RTE DIVERSION AND/OR TERMINATION OF FLT PRIOR TO REQUESTING ATC ASSISTANCE.

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.