VFR PA28 departure from ack encounters IFR conditions, returns for landing.

Attributes
ACN	601973
Time
Date	200312
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ack.airport
State Reference	MA
Altitude	msl single value : 800
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Weather Elements	Snow
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : k90.tracon tower : ack.tower
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	PA-28 Cherokee Arrow IV
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff climbout : initial climbout : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 30 flight time total : 800 flight time type : 700
ASRS Report	601973
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : departure
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : weather non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Weather Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

At ack ceiling 2000 ft visibility more than 600 ft. I spent 15 mins on the ground, checked the ATIS and (still reporting 2500 ft) decided to fly VFR to another airport for the 15 min flight. Event: departed runway 15 and at 800 ft a snow squall just happened. Extensive maneuvering between 800 ft and 500 ft to stay VFR. Request IFR clearance from cap approach. They were too busy and said go back to tower. Called tower, they said call cap approach. WX was significantly deterioating and I was not going to be able to stay VFR. I told tower and they arranged for me to contact cap approach which this time gave me a clearance for the back course runway 6 approach into ack. Flew the approach to minimum and landed with no issues. I am writing this report to suggest the establishment of some sort of request other than declaring an emergency to get approach to accept a VFR request for an IFR clearance immediately in a potentially threatening situation.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: VFR PA28 DEP FROM ACK ENCOUNTERS IFR CONDITIONS, RETURNS FOR LNDG.

Narrative: AT ACK CEILING 2000 FT VISIBILITY MORE THAN 600 FT. I SPENT 15 MINS ON THE GND, CHKED THE ATIS AND (STILL RPTING 2500 FT) DECIDED TO FLY VFR TO ANOTHER ARPT FOR THE 15 MIN FLT. EVENT: DEPARTED RWY 15 AND AT 800 FT A SNOW SQUALL JUST HAPPENED. EXTENSIVE MANEUVERING BTWN 800 FT AND 500 FT TO STAY VFR. REQUEST IFR CLRNC FROM CAP APCH. THEY WERE TOO BUSY AND SAID GO BACK TO TWR. CALLED TWR, THEY SAID CALL CAP APCH. WX WAS SIGNIFICANTLY DETERIOATING AND I WAS NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO STAY VFR. I TOLD TWR AND THEY ARRANGED FOR ME TO CONTACT CAP APCH WHICH THIS TIME GAVE ME A CLRNC FOR THE BACK COURSE RWY 6 APCH INTO ACK. FLEW THE APCH TO MINIMUM AND LANDED WITH NO ISSUES. I AM WRITING THIS RPT TO SUGGEST THE ESTABLISHMENT OF SOME SORT OF REQUEST OTHER THAN DECLARING AN EMER TO GET APCH TO ACCEPT A VFR REQUEST FOR AN IFR CLRNC IMMEDIATELY IN A POTENTIALLY THREATENING SIT.

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.