Flight crew entered IMC while on a VFR flight plan near phl.

Attributes
ACN	446540
Time
Date	199908
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : phl.airport
State Reference	PA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 5500 msl bound upper : 5850
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : phl.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Light Transport
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 210 flight time total : 4500 flight time type : 1400
ASRS Report	446540
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : cfi pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 15000 flight time type : 300
ASRS Report	446661
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude inflight encounter : vfr in imc non adherence : clearance other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : returned to assigned altitude flight crew : returned to intended or assigned course
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I was acting as a crew member on a part 121 flight from bos to phl. We were on a VFR flight plan. When we got close to class B airspace we were cleared into class B airspace and assigned a heading and an altitude. We accepted this clearance and proceeded into class B airspace. When we accepted this clearance we were able to maintain VMC. The controller was very busy. Within the next 10 mi this heading would have put us in a broken layer of clouds. We told the controller we needed a lower altitude or a different heading because we were not going to be able to maintain VFR. The controller said unable. The frequency was so busy we couldn't get another word in. So we turned to a new heading without clearance to avoid the clouds in front of us to maintain VFR. The controller came back and told us to turn to heading 310 degrees now. This was to avoid climbing traffic. When we turned to this heading it was going to put us in the clouds. We climbed 300-400 ft to avoid clouds but were unable to maintain VFR. We entered clouds without IFR clearance, so we descended back to 5500 ft. Upon landing, my captain called the controller and was told no report would be filed, and that there was sufficient separation between traffic.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC ENTERED IMC WHILE ON A VFR FLT PLAN NEAR PHL.

Narrative: I WAS ACTING AS A CREW MEMBER ON A PART 121 FLT FROM BOS TO PHL. WE WERE ON A VFR FLT PLAN. WHEN WE GOT CLOSE TO CLASS B AIRSPACE WE WERE CLRED INTO CLASS B AIRSPACE AND ASSIGNED A HDG AND AN ALT. WE ACCEPTED THIS CLRNC AND PROCEEDED INTO CLASS B AIRSPACE. WHEN WE ACCEPTED THIS CLRNC WE WERE ABLE TO MAINTAIN VMC. THE CTLR WAS VERY BUSY. WITHIN THE NEXT 10 MI THIS HDG WOULD HAVE PUT US IN A BROKEN LAYER OF CLOUDS. WE TOLD THE CTLR WE NEEDED A LOWER ALT OR A DIFFERENT HDG BECAUSE WE WERE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO MAINTAIN VFR. THE CTLR SAID UNABLE. THE FREQ WAS SO BUSY WE COULDN'T GET ANOTHER WORD IN. SO WE TURNED TO A NEW HDG WITHOUT CLRNC TO AVOID THE CLOUDS IN FRONT OF US TO MAINTAIN VFR. THE CTLR CAME BACK AND TOLD US TO TURN TO HDG 310 DEGS NOW. THIS WAS TO AVOID CLBING TFC. WHEN WE TURNED TO THIS HDG IT WAS GOING TO PUT US IN THE CLOUDS. WE CLBED 300-400 FT TO AVOID CLOUDS BUT WERE UNABLE TO MAINTAIN VFR. WE ENTERED CLOUDS WITHOUT IFR CLRNC, SO WE DSNDED BACK TO 5500 FT. UPON LNDG, MY CAPT CALLED THE CTLR AND WAS TOLD NO RPT WOULD BE FILED, AND THAT THERE WAS SUFFICIENT SEPARATION BTWN TFC.

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.