Narrative:

A return flight from fdk to aik was shortened due to emergent WX conditions. I passed rdu and observed clouds in my path to aik. I decided to return to rdu, land, refuel, contact FSS, close flight plan, get WX for the trip to aik via cae and initiate another flight plan. The new flight plan was based on a flight below 5000 ft with cae as an alternate airport. I then departed rdu for aik at 4500 ft, with intent to land at an alternate airport if VFR conditions deteriorated. I implemented flight watch at rdu and maintained flight watch until 10 mi from aik. I then contacted aik unicom. Aik unicom indicated aik was clear with no aircraft in flight pattern. I announced that I was making a straight approach to runway 24. At approximately 4 mi from the field, I lost sight of the ground, heard another plane in the flight pattern and announced my visibility problem to aik unicom. I heard a second plane in aik's pattern (via radio conversation). I immediately started a climb to 4000 ft and informed the aik unicom that I was in IMC conditions and climbing. A male voice on aik's unicom said it was clear to the south of the field. I continued to climb and became concerned about cae air traffic. I informed aik unicom that I was contacting cae to inform cae approach that I was a VFR pilot in an IMC situation. I was then vectored to an area where I could see the ground and descended to 3000 ft. I was cleared and landed on runway 5. Other issues: felt uncomfortable turning plane and keeping it from descending while in clouds. Learned to stay level by letting the plane features control leveling. Felt comfortable climbing. FAA met me on the field and examined all my records and took a statement. What will I do to preclude a recurrence of entering an IMC condition? 1) use WX watch frequency and monitor the WX conditions en route and at my destination. 2) I will monitor and contact en route airports periodically for WX conditions. 3) I will get my instrument rating which will qualify me to fly in IFR conditions. 4) I will plan my flts for better VFR WX conditions and watch ahead for possible clouds or below VFR conditions. 5) I will monitor AWOS (118.025) well before making plans to land at aik.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A LOW TIME NON INST RATED GA PLT FINDS HIMSELF IN INST FLT CONDITIONS, REQUESTS ASSISTANCE, AND IS VECTORED TO VFR CONDITIONS.

Narrative: A RETURN FLT FROM FDK TO AIK WAS SHORTENED DUE TO EMERGENT WX CONDITIONS. I PASSED RDU AND OBSERVED CLOUDS IN MY PATH TO AIK. I DECIDED TO RETURN TO RDU, LAND, REFUEL, CONTACT FSS, CLOSE FLT PLAN, GET WX FOR THE TRIP TO AIK VIA CAE AND INITIATE ANOTHER FLT PLAN. THE NEW FLT PLAN WAS BASED ON A FLT BELOW 5000 FT WITH CAE AS AN ALTERNATE ARPT. I THEN DEPARTED RDU FOR AIK AT 4500 FT, WITH INTENT TO LAND AT AN ALTERNATE ARPT IF VFR CONDITIONS DETERIORATED. I IMPLEMENTED FLT WATCH AT RDU AND MAINTAINED FLT WATCH UNTIL 10 MI FROM AIK. I THEN CONTACTED AIK UNICOM. AIK UNICOM INDICATED AIK WAS CLR WITH NO ACFT IN FLT PATTERN. I ANNOUNCED THAT I WAS MAKING A STRAIGHT APCH TO RWY 24. AT APPROX 4 MI FROM THE FIELD, I LOST SIGHT OF THE GND, HEARD ANOTHER PLANE IN THE FLT PATTERN AND ANNOUNCED MY VISIBILITY PROB TO AIK UNICOM. I HEARD A SECOND PLANE IN AIK'S PATTERN (VIA RADIO CONVERSATION). I IMMEDIATELY STARTED A CLB TO 4000 FT AND INFORMED THE AIK UNICOM THAT I WAS IN IMC CONDITIONS AND CLBING. A MALE VOICE ON AIK'S UNICOM SAID IT WAS CLR TO THE S OF THE FIELD. I CONTINUED TO CLB AND BECAME CONCERNED ABOUT CAE AIR TFC. I INFORMED AIK UNICOM THAT I WAS CONTACTING CAE TO INFORM CAE APCH THAT I WAS A VFR PLT IN AN IMC SIT. I WAS THEN VECTORED TO AN AREA WHERE I COULD SEE THE GND AND DSNDED TO 3000 FT. I WAS CLRED AND LANDED ON RWY 5. OTHER ISSUES: FELT UNCOMFORTABLE TURNING PLANE AND KEEPING IT FROM DSNDING WHILE IN CLOUDS. LEARNED TO STAY LEVEL BY LETTING THE PLANE FEATURES CTL LEVELING. FELT COMFORTABLE CLBING. FAA MET ME ON THE FIELD AND EXAMINED ALL MY RECORDS AND TOOK A STATEMENT. WHAT WILL I DO TO PRECLUDE A RECURRENCE OF ENTERING AN IMC CONDITION? 1) USE WX WATCH FREQ AND MONITOR THE WX CONDITIONS ENRTE AND AT MY DEST. 2) I WILL MONITOR AND CONTACT ENRTE ARPTS PERIODICALLY FOR WX CONDITIONS. 3) I WILL GET MY INST RATING WHICH WILL QUALIFY ME TO FLY IN IFR CONDITIONS. 4) I WILL PLAN MY FLTS FOR BETTER VFR WX CONDITIONS AND WATCH AHEAD FOR POSSIBLE CLOUDS OR BELOW VFR CONDITIONS. 5) I WILL MONITOR AWOS (118.025) WELL BEFORE MAKING PLANS TO LAND AT AIK.

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.