Small aircraft pilot inadvertently flies into IMC on a night VFR flight.

Attributes
ACN	565167
Time
Date	200211
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : bmg.airport
State Reference	IN
Altitude	msl single value : 1500
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Weather Elements	Rain
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : bmg.tower
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : traffic pattern
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 32.5 flight time total : 88.5 flight time type : 88.5
ASRS Report	565167
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : vfr in imc inflight encounter : weather non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact none taken : insufficient time other
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Weather
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

Coming in for a full stop landing at bmg, ASOS reported 4000 ft ceiling, 5 SM in mist. While approaching downwind for runway 24, I flew into clouds at 1500 ft MSL. I was attempting to avoid them, but they were unexpected, given the ASOS report. Layer seemed to be a patch of broken. I flew through them to find I was overflying the airport rather than flying in the pattern. I advised tower, intercepted downwind leg, continued the pattern, and landed successfully. I did encounter small clouds in the pattern, but not enough to obscure sight of the runway. Tower made no mention of the fact that I flew through any clouds. I believe he was unaware of their presence. Flight briefing before departure from pia indicated VFR all the way to bmg. Further information from terre haute FSS confirmed VFR conditions while overflying huf all the way to bmg. I had an aborted takeoff from pia due to wind gusts that scared me, and I wasn't watching my altitude closely enough as I was approaching bmg. Otherwise, the flight was routine. I was likely influenced by the fact that I was so close to my destination that I chose to fly through the clouds rather than turn around. Night conditions also contributed to the late recognition of the clouds. I don't see how this could have been avoided other than increased vigilance on my part.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA PLT INADVERTENTLY FLIES INTO IMC ON A NIGHT VFR FLT.

Narrative: COMING IN FOR A FULL STOP LNDG AT BMG, ASOS RPTED 4000 FT CEILING, 5 SM IN MIST. WHILE APCHING DOWNWIND FOR RWY 24, I FLEW INTO CLOUDS AT 1500 FT MSL. I WAS ATTEMPTING TO AVOID THEM, BUT THEY WERE UNEXPECTED, GIVEN THE ASOS RPT. LAYER SEEMED TO BE A PATCH OF BROKEN. I FLEW THROUGH THEM TO FIND I WAS OVERFLYING THE ARPT RATHER THAN FLYING IN THE PATTERN. I ADVISED TWR, INTERCEPTED DOWNWIND LEG, CONTINUED THE PATTERN, AND LANDED SUCCESSFULLY. I DID ENCOUNTER SMALL CLOUDS IN THE PATTERN, BUT NOT ENOUGH TO OBSCURE SIGHT OF THE RWY. TWR MADE NO MENTION OF THE FACT THAT I FLEW THROUGH ANY CLOUDS. I BELIEVE HE WAS UNAWARE OF THEIR PRESENCE. FLT BRIEFING BEFORE DEP FROM PIA INDICATED VFR ALL THE WAY TO BMG. FURTHER INFO FROM TERRE HAUTE FSS CONFIRMED VFR CONDITIONS WHILE OVERFLYING HUF ALL THE WAY TO BMG. I HAD AN ABORTED TKOF FROM PIA DUE TO WIND GUSTS THAT SCARED ME, AND I WASN'T WATCHING MY ALT CLOSELY ENOUGH AS I WAS APCHING BMG. OTHERWISE, THE FLT WAS ROUTINE. I WAS LIKELY INFLUENCED BY THE FACT THAT I WAS SO CLOSE TO MY DEST THAT I CHOSE TO FLY THROUGH THE CLOUDS RATHER THAN TURN AROUND. NIGHT CONDITIONS ALSO CONTRIBUTED TO THE LATE RECOGNITION OF THE CLOUDS. I DON'T SEE HOW THIS COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED OTHER THAN INCREASED VIGILANCE ON MY PART.

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.