PA28 pilot allowed himself to be trapped by WX and flew into IFR conditions with no flight plan.

Attributes
ACN	590266
Time
Date	200308
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : 3g3.airport
State Reference	OH
Altitude	msl single value : 2000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Weather Elements	Thunderstorm Rain
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	PA-28 Cherokee/Archer II/Dakota/Pillan/Warrior
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	cruise : enroute altitude change descent : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa other
Function	flight crew : single pilot other personnel
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 30 flight time total : 240 flight time type : 30
ASRS Report	590266
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : vfr in imc inflight encounter : weather non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : exited adverse environment flight crew : landed as precaution flight crew : diverted to another airport
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Weather Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

WX went from VMC to MVFR to IMC in G airspace. Had left vicinity of 16G, direct to 363 (GPS), 3000 ft MSL with clouds greater than 3500 ft MSL. Contacted cle FSS on 122.6 and was told third in line. Mfd and 3g4 were IMC. Mfd ATIS was special due to thunderstorm. Clear on direct line to 3g3. Clouds formed at approximately 3000 ft with no virga or rain. Finally able to contact FSS after passing 3g4. Told that WX would deteriorate and was MVFR with VFR not recommended. Gave PIREP of ceiling at 2800 ft, visibility 10+ mi. Looking ahead, lodi was plainly visible and past it was 15G (on top of hill). Appeared sun was shining through clouds (light opaque). 2000 ft MSL was still 500+ ft below clouds. On I-76, just before 15G, is a weight station, and 2000 ft was still good, but behind me was closing due to northeast movement of thunderstorm from mfd. I-80 not possible, diversion to IG5 or bjj not possible due to visibility dropping rapidly. Upon crossing 15G, ceiling dropped to 1800 ft MSL. Lost sight of 15G where I would have turned downwind for runway 21. Contacted 3g3 unicom for winds, as I was perfect for right base runway 20. Announced emergency landing to protect possible IFR pilots on approach to 3g3. Descended to 1500 ft MSL (where base would be for the crosswind runway) where I broke out. Executed shallow right turn to final and landed. As soon as I turned on to the taxiway, and looked where I'd just come from, the clouds appeared to be back at 1900 ft to 2000 ft or better. The reason for passing 15G was that 3g3 is about 200 ft lower and down the hill from skypark (15G). Given the way the WX was deteriorating, I could not honestly say I could have made a controled landing there (2300 ft X 36 ft with buildings rather close). The extra 2-3 mi to 3g3 was a better thing and last resort was to contact cak approach for vectors to VFR. Lesson learned, flying around a thunderstorm may result in rapidly deteriorating conditions, even with no turbulence. With pop ups happening the way they were that day, I should have circled an airport while waiting for FSS to be able to handle my call.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PA28 PLT ALLOWED HIMSELF TO BE TRAPPED BY WX AND FLEW INTO IFR CONDITIONS WITH NO FLT PLAN.

Narrative: WX WENT FROM VMC TO MVFR TO IMC IN G AIRSPACE. HAD LEFT VICINITY OF 16G, DIRECT TO 363 (GPS), 3000 FT MSL WITH CLOUDS GREATER THAN 3500 FT MSL. CONTACTED CLE FSS ON 122.6 AND WAS TOLD THIRD IN LINE. MFD AND 3G4 WERE IMC. MFD ATIS WAS SPECIAL DUE TO TSTM. CLR ON DIRECT LINE TO 3G3. CLOUDS FORMED AT APPROX 3000 FT WITH NO VIRGA OR RAIN. FINALLY ABLE TO CONTACT FSS AFTER PASSING 3G4. TOLD THAT WX WOULD DETERIORATE AND WAS MVFR WITH VFR NOT RECOMMENDED. GAVE PIREP OF CEILING AT 2800 FT, VISIBILITY 10+ MI. LOOKING AHEAD, LODI WAS PLAINLY VISIBLE AND PAST IT WAS 15G (ON TOP OF HILL). APPEARED SUN WAS SHINING THROUGH CLOUDS (LIGHT OPAQUE). 2000 FT MSL WAS STILL 500+ FT BELOW CLOUDS. ON I-76, JUST BEFORE 15G, IS A WEIGHT STATION, AND 2000 FT WAS STILL GOOD, BUT BEHIND ME WAS CLOSING DUE TO NE MOVEMENT OF TSTM FROM MFD. I-80 NOT POSSIBLE, DIVERSION TO IG5 OR BJJ NOT POSSIBLE DUE TO VISIBILITY DROPPING RAPIDLY. UPON XING 15G, CEILING DROPPED TO 1800 FT MSL. LOST SIGHT OF 15G WHERE I WOULD HAVE TURNED DOWNWIND FOR RWY 21. CONTACTED 3G3 UNICOM FOR WINDS, AS I WAS PERFECT FOR R BASE RWY 20. ANNOUNCED EMER LNDG TO PROTECT POSSIBLE IFR PLTS ON APCH TO 3G3. DSNDED TO 1500 FT MSL (WHERE BASE WOULD BE FOR THE XWIND RWY) WHERE I BROKE OUT. EXECUTED SHALLOW R TURN TO FINAL AND LANDED. AS SOON AS I TURNED ON TO THE TXWY, AND LOOKED WHERE I'D JUST COME FROM, THE CLOUDS APPEARED TO BE BACK AT 1900 FT TO 2000 FT OR BETTER. THE REASON FOR PASSING 15G WAS THAT 3G3 IS ABOUT 200 FT LOWER AND DOWN THE HILL FROM SKYPARK (15G). GIVEN THE WAY THE WX WAS DETERIORATING, I COULD NOT HONESTLY SAY I COULD HAVE MADE A CTLED LNDG THERE (2300 FT X 36 FT WITH BUILDINGS RATHER CLOSE). THE EXTRA 2-3 MI TO 3G3 WAS A BETTER THING AND LAST RESORT WAS TO CONTACT CAK APCH FOR VECTORS TO VFR. LESSON LEARNED, FLYING AROUND A TSTM MAY RESULT IN RAPIDLY DETERIORATING CONDITIONS, EVEN WITH NO TURB. WITH POP UPS HAPPENING THE WAY THEY WERE THAT DAY, I SHOULD HAVE CIRCLED AN ARPT WHILE WAITING FOR FSS TO BE ABLE TO HANDLE MY CALL.

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.