C172 pilot diverts to an alternate airport due to WX.

Attributes
ACN	590254
Time
Date	200307
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
State Reference	MN
Altitude	msl single value : 3000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Marginal
Weather Elements	Rain Fog
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
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 : 50 flight time total : 2700 flight time type : 2700
ASRS Report	590254
Person 2
Function	observation : passenger
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : weather
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : diverted to another airport flight crew : landed as precaution flight crew : exited adverse environment
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Passenger Human Performance Weather
Primary Problem	Weather

Narrative:

I left pwc for fcm to pick up a passenger. I checked the WX in fcm before I left to monitor the track of a rain storm. I was told that flying southwest would be worse WX than flying west and a little north. This would keep me out of the rain, for the most part. I revised my planned route to allow for a little deviation north around the worst WX. No thunderstorms reported, just rain, fog and some low ceilings. 100 NM from fcm the WX seemed to be closing in. I diverted north more as originally advised, but the sky got darker and it started raining. There were 2 or more layers of clouds and as I passed 1g2 a lower layer came in view, potentially creating a situation where we were trapped between layers. Against my passenger's pleas to continue, I turned around about 5 mi past 1g2 and landed there without incident.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C172 PLT DIVERTS TO AN ALTERNATE ARPT DUE TO WX.

Narrative: I LEFT PWC FOR FCM TO PICK UP A PAX. I CHKED THE WX IN FCM BEFORE I LEFT TO MONITOR THE TRACK OF A RAIN STORM. I WAS TOLD THAT FLYING SW WOULD BE WORSE WX THAN FLYING W AND A LITTLE N. THIS WOULD KEEP ME OUT OF THE RAIN, FOR THE MOST PART. I REVISED MY PLANNED RTE TO ALLOW FOR A LITTLE DEV N AROUND THE WORST WX. NO TSTMS RPTED, JUST RAIN, FOG AND SOME LOW CEILINGS. 100 NM FROM FCM THE WX SEEMED TO BE CLOSING IN. I DIVERTED N MORE AS ORIGINALLY ADVISED, BUT THE SKY GOT DARKER AND IT STARTED RAINING. THERE WERE 2 OR MORE LAYERS OF CLOUDS AND AS I PASSED 1G2 A LOWER LAYER CAME IN VIEW, POTENTIALLY CREATING A SIT WHERE WE WERE TRAPPED BTWN LAYERS. AGAINST MY PAX'S PLEAS TO CONTINUE, I TURNED AROUND ABOUT 5 MI PAST 1G2 AND LANDED THERE WITHOUT INCIDENT.

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.