Narrative:

WX was checked at AA00 at stuart, fl (sua), for VFR flight to tallahassee, fl (tlh). Takeoff was BB10 with cavu conditions. Northwest of orl, flying at 3000 ft, an undercast began developing. I obtained permission to leave flight following frequency to check destination WX with flight watch. After 122.0 trying for 10 mins, I reached a briefer, loud and clear. He took my request for conditions at tlh, donaldsonville and dothan. After a few mins, I heard him talking to another plane, tried to raise him again and never received a reply. I went back to ZJX frequency and asked if they had WX. They said tlh is 800 ft broken. I was about 45-50 mins away with the undercast thickening and continued to tlh. At handoff to tlh approach, I discovered clouds were overcast, not broken, and the control zone was IFR. Not knowing if the rented C172, I was flying, was current on IFR certification, I asked if tlh approach could give me conditions at dothan and donaldsonville. He tried by teletype and phone and could not obtain the conditions. I told him, not knowing what was ahead, where I would be down to 1/2 hour of fuel (at dothan), I would have to land at tlh. Just offshore fl, in the gulf of mexico, I found a hole in the clouds, and knowing there were no towers there, descended into the hole from 3000-500 ft, and was in the clear with good visibility. The controller declared an emergency, I spotted the field at about 9 mi and landed without further incident. I felt landing at tlh was the safest course of action, considering all options.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C172 PLT ENCOUNTERS DETERIORATING WX ENRTE AND AT DEST. COORDINATES WITH ATC, WHO DECLARES EMER, AND LANDS VFR AT CLASS C ARPT THAT HAS INST METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS.

Narrative: WX WAS CHKED AT AA00 AT STUART, FL (SUA), FOR VFR FLT TO TALLAHASSEE, FL (TLH). TKOF WAS BB10 WITH CAVU CONDITIONS. NW OF ORL, FLYING AT 3000 FT, AN UNDERCAST BEGAN DEVELOPING. I OBTAINED PERMISSION TO LEAVE FLT FOLLOWING FREQ TO CHK DEST WX WITH FLT WATCH. AFTER 122.0 TRYING FOR 10 MINS, I REACHED A BRIEFER, LOUD AND CLR. HE TOOK MY REQUEST FOR CONDITIONS AT TLH, DONALDSONVILLE AND DOTHAN. AFTER A FEW MINS, I HEARD HIM TALKING TO ANOTHER PLANE, TRIED TO RAISE HIM AGAIN AND NEVER RECEIVED A REPLY. I WENT BACK TO ZJX FREQ AND ASKED IF THEY HAD WX. THEY SAID TLH IS 800 FT BROKEN. I WAS ABOUT 45-50 MINS AWAY WITH THE UNDERCAST THICKENING AND CONTINUED TO TLH. AT HDOF TO TLH APCH, I DISCOVERED CLOUDS WERE OVCST, NOT BROKEN, AND THE CTL ZONE WAS IFR. NOT KNOWING IF THE RENTED C172, I WAS FLYING, WAS CURRENT ON IFR CERTIFICATION, I ASKED IF TLH APCH COULD GIVE ME CONDITIONS AT DOTHAN AND DONALDSONVILLE. HE TRIED BY TELETYPE AND PHONE AND COULD NOT OBTAIN THE CONDITIONS. I TOLD HIM, NOT KNOWING WHAT WAS AHEAD, WHERE I WOULD BE DOWN TO 1/2 HR OF FUEL (AT DOTHAN), I WOULD HAVE TO LAND AT TLH. JUST OFFSHORE FL, IN THE GULF OF MEXICO, I FOUND A HOLE IN THE CLOUDS, AND KNOWING THERE WERE NO TWRS THERE, DSNDED INTO THE HOLE FROM 3000-500 FT, AND WAS IN THE CLR WITH GOOD VISIBILITY. THE CTLR DECLARED AN EMER, I SPOTTED THE FIELD AT ABOUT 9 MI AND LANDED WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. I FELT LNDG AT TLH WAS THE SAFEST COURSE OF ACTION, CONSIDERING ALL OPTIONS.

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.