A private pilot, purposely descended through IMC in order to finish his errands on schedule.

Attributes
ACN	569591
Time
Date	200212
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : jct.vortac
State Reference	TX
Altitude	msl single value : 8000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Weather Elements	Thunderstorm
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zhu.artcc
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	M-20 B/C Ranger
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Navigation In Use	other vortac
Flight Phase	cruise : enroute altitude change descent : approach
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 10 flight time total : 220 flight time type : 220
ASRS Report	569591
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	other personnel
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : vfr in imc inflight encounter : weather non adherence : far other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I departed in VFR conditions with a WX briefing from FSS forecasting VFR to MVFR along my route of flight. After climbing through scattered clouds, I leveled at 8500 ft MSL. Near my destination, the layer below closed and I found myself on top of an overcast. By that time, ASOS at my departure point was also reporting overcast (the flight distance was only 80 NM). WX was clearly building in all directions. I proceeded to a point above terrain well known to me, and descended through clouds to approximately 1000 ft AGL, where I broke out near the airfield. The WX was forecast to worsen in the direction of flight. When it became clear that I would be unable to proceed VFR, under the clouds with sufficient altitude above ground, the appropriate decision would have been to return to my departure point immediately. I felt pressed to get my errands done and get home to family event, and this affected my judgement when I decided to climb above and continue the flight. I have instrument training, but have not yet been rated.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A PVT PLT, PURPOSELY DSNDED THROUGH IMC IN ORDER TO FINISH HIS ERRANDS ON SCHEDULE.

Narrative: I DEPARTED IN VFR CONDITIONS WITH A WX BRIEFING FROM FSS FORECASTING VFR TO MVFR ALONG MY RTE OF FLT. AFTER CLBING THROUGH SCATTERED CLOUDS, I LEVELED AT 8500 FT MSL. NEAR MY DEST, THE LAYER BELOW CLOSED AND I FOUND MYSELF ON TOP OF AN OVCST. BY THAT TIME, ASOS AT MY DEP POINT WAS ALSO RPTING OVCST (THE FLT DISTANCE WAS ONLY 80 NM). WX WAS CLRLY BUILDING IN ALL DIRECTIONS. I PROCEEDED TO A POINT ABOVE TERRAIN WELL KNOWN TO ME, AND DSNDED THROUGH CLOUDS TO APPROX 1000 FT AGL, WHERE I BROKE OUT NEAR THE AIRFIELD. THE WX WAS FORECAST TO WORSEN IN THE DIRECTION OF FLT. WHEN IT BECAME CLR THAT I WOULD BE UNABLE TO PROCEED VFR, UNDER THE CLOUDS WITH SUFFICIENT ALT ABOVE GND, THE APPROPRIATE DECISION WOULD HAVE BEEN TO RETURN TO MY DEP POINT IMMEDIATELY. I FELT PRESSED TO GET MY ERRANDS DONE AND GET HOME TO FAMILY EVENT, AND THIS AFFECTED MY JUDGEMENT WHEN I DECIDED TO CLB ABOVE AND CONTINUE THE FLT. I HAVE INST TRAINING, BUT HAVE NOT YET BEEN RATED.

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.