Narrative:

Upon receiving a briefing from WX brief, I determined a VFR local flight from wst could be made safely. I departed wst, turned north because the reported WX to the south was an area of precipitation off the coast and moving eastward not in the direction of wst. The briefer said I should stay close to wst, just in case things changed. Soon after departure, wst went IFR with ceilings at 300 ft. That was below minimums. I was still VFR with ceiling approximately 1500-1700 ft. I was in an area 7-10 NM in diameter. I tuned in norwich VOR to keep situational awareness and tried to contact approach control, but was unable to get a response. I had full tanks, fuel was no problem. I followed the edge of the 'bubble' of VFR searching for an airport after a failed attempt to track to norwich VOR. I attempted to communicate with flight watch on 122.0 -- no luck. My ceiling was now 1200 ft. I flew around and across my area of VFR looking for an airport. I was lost. Focused on staying out of clouds, unable to communicate or navigation -- was in trouble. My VFR area had closed in, I was in IMC at 1000 ft. I had to get in contact with someone and definitely needed altitude. Being IFR rusty, and turbulence adding to the mix, I wrestled with the plane while climbing, then tuned to 121.5. Told them who I was, my situation. I got a squawk code. I was up to 2700 ft. They had me on radar and asked me if I could do an approach into providence with a frequency change to pvd approach and radar vectors. With the turbulence, I had trouble holding course and altitude. Following the ILS breaking out of clouds at 900 ft with 2 mi visibility, I landed on runway 23L. Conclusion: 1) I should have expected the WX to be worse than expected being a coastal area. 2) the yoke mounted GPS was missing. I could have located an airport in VFR conditions as my VFR area moved across the state. 3) I will rethink my personal minimums!

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A C172 PLT FOUND HIMSELF IMC IN VFR FLT.

Narrative: UPON RECEIVING A BRIEFING FROM WX BRIEF, I DETERMINED A VFR LCL FLT FROM WST COULD BE MADE SAFELY. I DEPARTED WST, TURNED N BECAUSE THE RPTED WX TO THE S WAS AN AREA OF PRECIP OFF THE COAST AND MOVING EASTWARD NOT IN THE DIRECTION OF WST. THE BRIEFER SAID I SHOULD STAY CLOSE TO WST, JUST IN CASE THINGS CHANGED. SOON AFTER DEP, WST WENT IFR WITH CEILINGS AT 300 FT. THAT WAS BELOW MINIMUMS. I WAS STILL VFR WITH CEILING APPROX 1500-1700 FT. I WAS IN AN AREA 7-10 NM IN DIAMETER. I TUNED IN NORWICH VOR TO KEEP SITUATIONAL AWARENESS AND TRIED TO CONTACT APCH CTL, BUT WAS UNABLE TO GET A RESPONSE. I HAD FULL TANKS, FUEL WAS NO PROB. I FOLLOWED THE EDGE OF THE 'BUBBLE' OF VFR SEARCHING FOR AN ARPT AFTER A FAILED ATTEMPT TO TRACK TO NORWICH VOR. I ATTEMPTED TO COMMUNICATE WITH FLT WATCH ON 122.0 -- NO LUCK. MY CEILING WAS NOW 1200 FT. I FLEW AROUND AND ACROSS MY AREA OF VFR LOOKING FOR AN ARPT. I WAS LOST. FOCUSED ON STAYING OUT OF CLOUDS, UNABLE TO COMMUNICATE OR NAV -- WAS IN TROUBLE. MY VFR AREA HAD CLOSED IN, I WAS IN IMC AT 1000 FT. I HAD TO GET IN CONTACT WITH SOMEONE AND DEFINITELY NEEDED ALT. BEING IFR RUSTY, AND TURB ADDING TO THE MIX, I WRESTLED WITH THE PLANE WHILE CLBING, THEN TUNED TO 121.5. TOLD THEM WHO I WAS, MY SIT. I GOT A SQUAWK CODE. I WAS UP TO 2700 FT. THEY HAD ME ON RADAR AND ASKED ME IF I COULD DO AN APCH INTO PROVIDENCE WITH A FREQ CHANGE TO PVD APCH AND RADAR VECTORS. WITH THE TURB, I HAD TROUBLE HOLDING COURSE AND ALT. FOLLOWING THE ILS BREAKING OUT OF CLOUDS AT 900 FT WITH 2 MI VISIBILITY, I LANDED ON RWY 23L. CONCLUSION: 1) I SHOULD HAVE EXPECTED THE WX TO BE WORSE THAN EXPECTED BEING A COASTAL AREA. 2) THE YOKE MOUNTED GPS WAS MISSING. I COULD HAVE LOCATED AN ARPT IN VFR CONDITIONS AS MY VFR AREA MOVED ACROSS THE STATE. 3) I WILL RETHINK MY PERSONAL MINIMUMS!

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.