Single pilot IMC in VFR.

Attributes
ACN	513591
Time
Date	200106
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : btg.vortac
State Reference	WA
Altitude	msl single value : 3500
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Weather Elements	Fog
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 25.3 flight time total : 172.7 flight time type : 82.0
ASRS Report	513591
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
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 : diverted to another airport
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Weather
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

I left troutdale (ttd) on a pleasure flight to tillamook (S47) on jun/xa/01 at XA30. Current and forecast WX was good, but when I entered the coast range west of hillsboro (hio) I noticed the clouds were getting lower. After a few mins, I started to feel uncomfortable with the clouds so I decided to turn a 180 degree heading and head back to land at hio. During my turn, I became IFR and due to my complete knowledge of the area, I decided to call pdx approach and ask for help. I was already monitoring the pdx approach frequency so it only took me a few seconds to get hooked up with them and get a squawk code. The converging temperature/dewpoint created low clouds/fog that formed around the plane rather quickly. Portland was able to give me vectors back to hio so that I could have adequate mountain clearance until I came out of the IFR WX.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SINGLE PLT IMC IN VFR.

Narrative: I LEFT TROUTDALE (TTD) ON A PLEASURE FLT TO TILLAMOOK (S47) ON JUN/XA/01 AT XA30. CURRENT AND FORECAST WX WAS GOOD, BUT WHEN I ENTERED THE COAST RANGE W OF HILLSBORO (HIO) I NOTICED THE CLOUDS WERE GETTING LOWER. AFTER A FEW MINS, I STARTED TO FEEL UNCOMFORTABLE WITH THE CLOUDS SO I DECIDED TO TURN A 180 DEG HDG AND HEAD BACK TO LAND AT HIO. DURING MY TURN, I BECAME IFR AND DUE TO MY COMPLETE KNOWLEDGE OF THE AREA, I DECIDED TO CALL PDX APCH AND ASK FOR HELP. I WAS ALREADY MONITORING THE PDX APCH FREQ SO IT ONLY TOOK ME A FEW SECONDS TO GET HOOKED UP WITH THEM AND GET A SQUAWK CODE. THE CONVERGING TEMP/DEWPOINT CREATED LOW CLOUDS/FOG THAT FORMED AROUND THE PLANE RATHER QUICKLY. PORTLAND WAS ABLE TO GIVE ME VECTORS BACK TO HIO SO THAT I COULD HAVE ADEQUATE MOUNTAIN CLRNC UNTIL I CAME OUT OF THE IFR WX.

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.