C172 pilot. On no flight plan, not instrument rated, flew into IMC conditions approaching sna.

Attributes
ACN	543223
Time
Date	200204
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : sna.airport
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl single value : 2000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Weather Elements	Fog
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : sct.tracon
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise : level descent : approach
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 40 flight time total : 135 flight time type : 120
ASRS Report	543223
Person 2
Affiliation	other
Function	observation : observer observation : passenger
Qualification	pilot : private
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : vfr in imc inflight encounter : weather non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Weather
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

On friday night, when returning from a cross country, myself and the other pilot on board observed clouds in front of us and proceeded to descend to 2000 ft. I alerted ATC of my action and proceeded. When approaching out final destination approximately 10 mins later I noticed light fog/mist. Visibility came down pretty low, but it was till in my opinion, 3 mi. Then all of the sudden we both found ourselves in complete IMC. I didn't want to panic and the first thing that came to my head was to ask for practice approach and to be vectored. I kept my head in the plane and told the other pilot to look outside. Everything went smooth, but I later realized my first action should have been to alert ATC. However, I strongly feel I had no time to rationally think over the situation, thus leading me to make this huge mistake.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C172 PLT. ON NO FLT PLAN, NOT INSTRUMENT RATED, FLEW INTO IMC CONDITIONS APCHING SNA.

Narrative: ON FRIDAY NIGHT, WHEN RETURNING FROM A CROSS COUNTRY, MYSELF AND THE OTHER PLT ON BOARD OBSERVED CLOUDS IN FRONT OF US AND PROCEEDED TO DESCEND TO 2000 FT. I ALERTED ATC OF MY ACTION AND PROCEEDED. WHEN APCHING OUT FINAL DEST APPROX 10 MINS LATER I NOTICED LIGHT FOG/MIST. VISIBILITY CAME DOWN PRETTY LOW, BUT IT WAS TILL IN MY OPINION, 3 MI. THEN ALL OF THE SUDDEN WE BOTH FOUND OURSELVES IN COMPLETE IMC. I DIDN'T WANT TO PANIC AND THE FIRST THING THAT CAME TO MY HEAD WAS TO ASK FOR PRACTICE APCH AND TO BE VECTORED. I KEPT MY HEAD IN THE PLANE AND TOLD THE OTHER PLT TO LOOK OUTSIDE. EVERYTHING WENT SMOOTH, BUT I LATER REALIZED MY FIRST ACTION SHOULD HAVE BEEN TO ALERT ATC. HOWEVER, I STRONGLY FEEL I HAD NO TIME TO RATIONALLY THINK OVER THE SIT, THUS LEADING ME TO MAKE THIS HUGE MISTAKE.

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.