Narrative:

Rented a cessna 172 for what started out to be some night touch and go's. Before deping; called for a WX report; all local airports reported about same; ceiling 800 ft; which would be above local pattern by 100 ft; and 1 mi visibility. Looking at the sky around the airport; the pattern appeared to be safe and clear for special VFR. As soon as I began my climb out; at about 1000 ft (airport elevation 850 ft) lost sight of runway lights; airport; and ground. Completely engulfed by fog; I leveled off at 1200 ft clear of any obstacles around the airport; and began a standard rate turn around where the pattern should be. I was hoping to find the runway; or anything I recognized to figure out where the airport was. Quickly realizing I wasn't going to find anything without flying lower; and knowing of several obstacles including towers; power lines; and oil rigs around our field; I contacted ZZZ1 tower; told them of my situation; and they tried to find a local airport with VFR conditions. With no luck finding VFR; I told them I was not instrument rated; and they declared an emergency; and after directing me on a safe altitude and heading; they handed me off to approach. I told approach I did not have enough fuel to go to ZZZ2; or ZZZ3; and I wanted to try an instrument approach into any airport; and asked if they could guide me through it. At that point; they contacted a milfac and handed me off to ZZZ4 approach; who then guided me in on a precision radar approach. About 1/8 mi out and 150 ft up; I saw the runway and made an uneventful landing.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: INEXPERIENCED PRIVATE PLT TAKES OFF FOR PLEASURE FLT IN C172 IN MARGINAL VISIBILITY AND FINDS HIMSELF SOLID IFR. ULTIMATELY GETS TALKED DOWN ON PAR APCH TO A MILITARY ARPT.

Narrative: RENTED A CESSNA 172 FOR WHAT STARTED OUT TO BE SOME NIGHT TOUCH AND GO'S. BEFORE DEPING; CALLED FOR A WX RPT; ALL LOCAL ARPTS RPTED ABOUT SAME; CEILING 800 FT; WHICH WOULD BE ABOVE LOCAL PATTERN BY 100 FT; AND 1 MI VISIBILITY. LOOKING AT THE SKY AROUND THE ARPT; THE PATTERN APPEARED TO BE SAFE AND CLR FOR SPECIAL VFR. AS SOON AS I BEGAN MY CLBOUT; AT ABOUT 1000 FT (ARPT ELEVATION 850 FT) LOST SIGHT OF RWY LIGHTS; ARPT; AND GND. COMPLETELY ENGULFED BY FOG; I LEVELED OFF AT 1200 FT CLR OF ANY OBSTACLES AROUND THE ARPT; AND BEGAN A STANDARD RATE TURN AROUND WHERE THE PATTERN SHOULD BE. I WAS HOPING TO FIND THE RWY; OR ANYTHING I RECOGNIZED TO FIGURE OUT WHERE THE ARPT WAS. QUICKLY REALIZING I WASN'T GOING TO FIND ANYTHING WITHOUT FLYING LOWER; AND KNOWING OF SEVERAL OBSTACLES INCLUDING TWRS; PWR LINES; AND OIL RIGS AROUND OUR FIELD; I CONTACTED ZZZ1 TWR; TOLD THEM OF MY SIT; AND THEY TRIED TO FIND A LOCAL ARPT WITH VFR CONDITIONS. WITH NO LUCK FINDING VFR; I TOLD THEM I WAS NOT INSTRUMENT RATED; AND THEY DECLARED AN EMER; AND AFTER DIRECTING ME ON A SAFE ALT AND HDG; THEY HANDED ME OFF TO APCH. I TOLD APCH I DID NOT HAVE ENOUGH FUEL TO GO TO ZZZ2; OR ZZZ3; AND I WANTED TO TRY AN INSTRUMENT APCH INTO ANY ARPT; AND ASKED IF THEY COULD GUIDE ME THROUGH IT. AT THAT POINT; THEY CONTACTED A MILFAC AND HANDED ME OFF TO ZZZ4 APCH; WHO THEN GUIDED ME IN ON A PRECISION RADAR APCH. ABOUT 1/8 MI OUT AND 150 FT UP; I SAW THE RWY AND MADE AN UNEVENTFUL LNDG.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.