Narrative:

Although I did not want to be committed to following a flight plan, I intended to go as far as lake city, fl (lcq), land, rest, and check the WX ahead at and near my georgia destination. I wish I had filed a flight plan so I would have felt compelled to stick with it and avoid the following crisis. I cruised between 10500-12500 ft keeping clear of clouds. I was making such good time I decided to pass lcq since the clouds were still broken so I felt I could descend if necessary further along my route. The situation changed suddenly. I noticed my right tank was near empty sooner than I expected (I had neglected to lean my mixture) and the broken clouds were becoming nearly solid below me. I radioed 50 mi ahead to FBO in dublin. The FBO person indicated a VFR landing was still possible. (I've seldom been successful contacting an FSS in-flight so I did not try.) about 25 NM south of the dbn VOR, I left 10500 ft and entered IMC at 9500 ft. Just before entering, my GPS (handheld) went off and my sometimes unreliable altitude indicator went bad. I relied on my turn and bank coordinator and set a vertical speed descent rate of 500 FPM. I expected to emerge at 2000 ft. When I didn't, I felt the beginnings of extreme apprehension. I told macon approach of my situation. They gave me an altitude of 2600 ft and tried to vector me over a highway. I could maintain altitude but not a course. My low fuel warning light was on and after 20 mins in IMC, I indicated I was going to try descending to VMC or VFR conditions. Fortunately, the FBO man at dbn arranged for a pilot to meet me and lead me to dbn. This ultimately saved my life because I was so stressed by the time I broke out 1500 ft over east dublin that I could fly, but couldn't navigation. The voice of the macon controller and the C172 pilot who led me to dbn helped get me through. I did feel some satisfaction in the way I used my partial panel. I've fixed my panel and plan to file and follow flight plans, take IFR training, and meanwhile avoid on top flying and practice communication with FSS's.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A C173 NON INST RATED PLT INTENTIONALLY FLEW INTO IMC WITH A PARTIAL PANEL AND REQUIRED ASSISTANCE NEAR DBN.

Narrative: ALTHOUGH I DID NOT WANT TO BE COMMITTED TO FOLLOWING A FLT PLAN, I INTENDED TO GO AS FAR AS LAKE CITY, FL (LCQ), LAND, REST, AND CHK THE WX AHEAD AT AND NEAR MY GEORGIA DESTINATION. I WISH I HAD FILED A FLT PLAN SO I WOULD HAVE FELT COMPELLED TO STICK WITH IT AND AVOID THE FOLLOWING CRISIS. I CRUISED BTWN 10500-12500 FT KEEPING CLR OF CLOUDS. I WAS MAKING SUCH GOOD TIME I DECIDED TO PASS LCQ SINCE THE CLOUDS WERE STILL BROKEN SO I FELT I COULD DSND IF NECESSARY FURTHER ALONG MY RTE. THE SIT CHANGED SUDDENLY. I NOTICED MY R TANK WAS NEAR EMPTY SOONER THAN I EXPECTED (I HAD NEGLECTED TO LEAN MY MIXTURE) AND THE BROKEN CLOUDS WERE BECOMING NEARLY SOLID BELOW ME. I RADIOED 50 MI AHEAD TO FBO IN DUBLIN. THE FBO PERSON INDICATED A VFR LNDG WAS STILL POSSIBLE. (I'VE SELDOM BEEN SUCCESSFUL CONTACTING AN FSS INFLT SO I DID NOT TRY.) ABOUT 25 NM S OF THE DBN VOR, I LEFT 10500 FT AND ENTERED IMC AT 9500 FT. JUST BEFORE ENTERING, MY GPS (HANDHELD) WENT OFF AND MY SOMETIMES UNRELIABLE ALT INDICATOR WENT BAD. I RELIED ON MY TURN AND BANK COORDINATOR AND SET A VERT SPD DSCNT RATE OF 500 FPM. I EXPECTED TO EMERGE AT 2000 FT. WHEN I DIDN'T, I FELT THE BEGINNINGS OF EXTREME APPREHENSION. I TOLD MACON APCH OF MY SIT. THEY GAVE ME AN ALT OF 2600 FT AND TRIED TO VECTOR ME OVER A HWY. I COULD MAINTAIN ALT BUT NOT A COURSE. MY LOW FUEL WARNING LIGHT WAS ON AND AFTER 20 MINS IN IMC, I INDICATED I WAS GOING TO TRY DSNDING TO VMC OR VFR CONDITIONS. FORTUNATELY, THE FBO MAN AT DBN ARRANGED FOR A PLT TO MEET ME AND LEAD ME TO DBN. THIS ULTIMATELY SAVED MY LIFE BECAUSE I WAS SO STRESSED BY THE TIME I BROKE OUT 1500 FT OVER EAST DUBLIN THAT I COULD FLY, BUT COULDN'T NAV. THE VOICE OF THE MACON CTLR AND THE C172 PLT WHO LED ME TO DBN HELPED GET ME THROUGH. I DID FEEL SOME SATISFACTION IN THE WAY I USED MY PARTIAL PANEL. I'VE FIXED MY PANEL AND PLAN TO FILE AND FOLLOW FLT PLANS, TAKE IFR TRAINING, AND MEANWHILE AVOID ON TOP FLYING AND PRACTICE COM WITH FSS'S.

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.