PA24 pilot VFR in IMC.

Attributes
ACN	505056
Time
Date	200103
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : mtu.vortac
State Reference	UT
Altitude	msl single value : 7500
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zlc.artcc tower : jfk.tower
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	PA-24 Turbo Comanche
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Navigation In Use	other vortac
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Route In Use	departure : vfr
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 15 flight time total : 300 flight time type : 60
ASRS Report	505056
Person 2
Affiliation	other
Function	observation : passenger
Events
Anomaly	ground encounters other inflight encounter : vfr in imc inflight encounter : weather non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : landed as precaution
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Weather Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

When I did my runup and was ready to get my clearance, the WX looked like it was improving, so I did not open my IFR flight plan, but I flew VFR to roosevelt. After passing one of the far ridges to roosevelt, I found I could not make it VFR, so I turned around and proceeded to provo. However, I found that it had closed in on me. I then tried to climb through the clouds and contact ZLC. I could not get ZLC, so I climbed through the clouds. As soon as I entered the clouds, the ice started to build up. At this time, I still could see the ground but nothing in front of me, so I did a 180 degree turn and descended through the stuff. I looked around for any way to get to provo or heber or duchene. I could not make it. The mountains were obscured and I could not go safely, so I examined the area for a suitable landing spot and found highway 40 as the only logical landing spot that I could get into safely. I then did one pass to look for obstructions and cars -- there were none, so I proceeded to land the aircraft on highway 40. During this time the WX had moved into a ceiling of about 800 ft and 6 mi visibility. During the entire flight, I did not violate any FARS. The landing was successful and there was no damage to the aircraft, myself, or the highway. I notified auths and they came to evaluate the situation. There was also an FAA inspector that was driving by and stopped. He took my name and certificate number, airworthiness certificate, and registration and filed it just for their records. I made a couple of bad decisions that day that made me have to land the aircraft on the highway -- one of which was trying to go VFR into an area of bad WX. Another was not to have opened my IFR flight plan. It is better to wait the WX out instead of getting into a situation that could often times be fatal or lead to an accident. After this situation, I have learned a lot about WX and flying the 'hard' way.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PA24 PLT VFR IN IMC.

Narrative: WHEN I DID MY RUNUP AND WAS READY TO GET MY CLRNC, THE WX LOOKED LIKE IT WAS IMPROVING, SO I DID NOT OPEN MY IFR FLT PLAN, BUT I FLEW VFR TO ROOSEVELT. AFTER PASSING ONE OF THE FAR RIDGES TO ROOSEVELT, I FOUND I COULD NOT MAKE IT VFR, SO I TURNED AROUND AND PROCEEDED TO PROVO. HOWEVER, I FOUND THAT IT HAD CLOSED IN ON ME. I THEN TRIED TO CLB THROUGH THE CLOUDS AND CONTACT ZLC. I COULD NOT GET ZLC, SO I CLBED THROUGH THE CLOUDS. AS SOON AS I ENTERED THE CLOUDS, THE ICE STARTED TO BUILD UP. AT THIS TIME, I STILL COULD SEE THE GND BUT NOTHING IN FRONT OF ME, SO I DID A 180 DEG TURN AND DSNDED THROUGH THE STUFF. I LOOKED AROUND FOR ANY WAY TO GET TO PROVO OR HEBER OR DUCHENE. I COULD NOT MAKE IT. THE MOUNTAINS WERE OBSCURED AND I COULD NOT GO SAFELY, SO I EXAMINED THE AREA FOR A SUITABLE LNDG SPOT AND FOUND HWY 40 AS THE ONLY LOGICAL LNDG SPOT THAT I COULD GET INTO SAFELY. I THEN DID ONE PASS TO LOOK FOR OBSTRUCTIONS AND CARS -- THERE WERE NONE, SO I PROCEEDED TO LAND THE ACFT ON HWY 40. DURING THIS TIME THE WX HAD MOVED INTO A CEILING OF ABOUT 800 FT AND 6 MI VISIBILITY. DURING THE ENTIRE FLT, I DID NOT VIOLATE ANY FARS. THE LNDG WAS SUCCESSFUL AND THERE WAS NO DAMAGE TO THE ACFT, MYSELF, OR THE HWY. I NOTIFIED AUTHS AND THEY CAME TO EVALUATE THE SIT. THERE WAS ALSO AN FAA INSPECTOR THAT WAS DRIVING BY AND STOPPED. HE TOOK MY NAME AND CERTIFICATE NUMBER, AIRWORTHINESS CERTIFICATE, AND REGISTRATION AND FILED IT JUST FOR THEIR RECORDS. I MADE A COUPLE OF BAD DECISIONS THAT DAY THAT MADE ME HAVE TO LAND THE ACFT ON THE HWY -- ONE OF WHICH WAS TRYING TO GO VFR INTO AN AREA OF BAD WX. ANOTHER WAS NOT TO HAVE OPENED MY IFR FLT PLAN. IT IS BETTER TO WAIT THE WX OUT INSTEAD OF GETTING INTO A SIT THAT COULD OFTEN TIMES BE FATAL OR LEAD TO AN ACCIDENT. AFTER THIS SIT, I HAVE LEARNED A LOT ABOUT WX AND FLYING THE 'HARD' WAY.

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.