A C150 private pilot on a VFR flight plan encounters low clouds and reduced visibility near his dest...

Attributes
ACN	596875
Time
Date	200310
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : 3g3.airport
State Reference	OH
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Weather Elements	other
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Cessna 150
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	landing : roll
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 30 flight time total : 230 flight time type : 230
ASRS Report	596875
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Events
Anomaly	incursion : runway inflight encounter : weather inflight encounter : vfr in imc non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : landed as precaution none taken : anomaly accepted
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Weather Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

Filed VFR flight plan with elkins FSS bkw to 1g5 (medina). Encountered mixed, marginal patches clouds/rain en route about 3 mi north of 3g3. Returned toward 3g3. 3g3 was closed temporarily for crack-sealing. Contacted cak approach for assistance and direct heading to skypark 15G. 2 mi southeast of 15G was unable to proceed due to low ceilings 1000 ft AGL and made 180 degree turn out of IMC. 3g3 wadsworh airport was clearly marked 'closed' but was in clear VFR WX and after determining safety and talking to airport manager I decided to land on the closed but untouched runway 28 as I was unable to return south, west or east to another airport without encountering marginal WX. What caused the problem: the WX had been excellent for 200 mi prior, and I was 6 mi from my destination, 1g5, when I encountered rapidly changing, blowing clouds and changing ceilings. Flying too close to the marginal WX caused the problem. The closed, '3g3' airport was in a large area of clear WX and I circled it at least twice before deciding to go to alternate airport, 15G, 3 mi northwest. Again, I was too close to marginal WX and encountered clouds at the alternate airport. Then WX began circling me, and I had no choice but to land on the closed runway where it was still clear. I should have not spent any time in the area close to the WX, and instead should have turned immediately back south the way I had just come and gone to another airport 20-30 mi south where it was still clear.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A C150 PVT PLT ON A VFR FLT PLAN ENCOUNTERS LOW CLOUDS AND REDUCED VISIBILITY NEAR HIS DEST ARPT OF 1G5 AND LANDS AT THE CLOSED ARPT NEARBY, 3G3, OH.

Narrative: FILED VFR FLT PLAN WITH ELKINS FSS BKW TO 1G5 (MEDINA). ENCOUNTERED MIXED, MARGINAL PATCHES CLOUDS/RAIN ENRTE ABOUT 3 MI N OF 3G3. RETURNED TOWARD 3G3. 3G3 WAS CLOSED TEMPORARILY FOR CRACK-SEALING. CONTACTED CAK APCH FOR ASSISTANCE AND DIRECT HEADING TO SKYPARK 15G. 2 MI SE OF 15G WAS UNABLE TO PROCEED DUE TO LOW CEILINGS 1000 FT AGL AND MADE 180 DEG TURN OUT OF IMC. 3G3 WADSWORH ARPT WAS CLRLY MARKED 'CLOSED' BUT WAS IN CLR VFR WX AND AFTER DETERMINING SAFETY AND TALKING TO ARPT MGR I DECIDED TO LAND ON THE CLOSED BUT UNTOUCHED RWY 28 AS I WAS UNABLE TO RETURN S, W OR E TO ANOTHER ARPT WITHOUT ENCOUNTERING MARGINAL WX. WHAT CAUSED THE PROB: THE WX HAD BEEN EXCELLENT FOR 200 MI PRIOR, AND I WAS 6 MI FROM MY DEST, 1G5, WHEN I ENCOUNTERED RAPIDLY CHANGING, BLOWING CLOUDS AND CHANGING CEILINGS. FLYING TOO CLOSE TO THE MARGINAL WX CAUSED THE PROB. THE CLOSED, '3G3' ARPT WAS IN A LARGE AREA OF CLR WX AND I CIRCLED IT AT LEAST TWICE BEFORE DECIDING TO GO TO ALTERNATE ARPT, 15G, 3 MI NW. AGAIN, I WAS TOO CLOSE TO MARGINAL WX AND ENCOUNTERED CLOUDS AT THE ALTERNATE ARPT. THEN WX BEGAN CIRCLING ME, AND I HAD NO CHOICE BUT TO LAND ON THE CLOSED RWY WHERE IT WAS STILL CLR. I SHOULD HAVE NOT SPENT ANY TIME IN THE AREA CLOSE TO THE WX, AND INSTEAD SHOULD HAVE TURNED IMMEDIATELY BACK S THE WAY I HAD JUST COME AND GONE TO ANOTHER ARPT 20-30 MI S WHERE IT WAS STILL CLR.

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.

A C150 private pilot on a VFR flight plan encounters low clouds and reduced visibility near his destination airport of 1g5 and lands at the closed airport nearby, 3g3, oh.