In an effort to save time and avoid developing WX; a bellanca pilot flies VFR direct ending up in th...

Attributes
ACN	648279
Time
Date	200502
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	agl bound lower : 1000 agl bound upper : 14000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Weather Elements	Snow
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Viking
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise : enroute altitude change cruise : level
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 25 flight time total : 320 flight time type : 80
ASRS Report	648279
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : weather inflight encounter : vfr in imc non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : exited adverse environment flight crew : diverted to another airport
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Weather
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Got a briefing from FSS for a flight from ZZZ1 to ZZZ. Trip was intended to pick up friend and return to ZZZ1 that evening. Forecast conditions for ZZZ1 were to be IFR that evening. Briefer said WX was VFR in both ZZZ1 and ZZZ at time of departure; but along route; ceilings were 3500 ft AGL in spots. Decided to go VFR because airways would have been quite a bit longer than direct path and hopefully could beat deteriorating WX forecast for return trip. About a half hour out of ZZZ1; ceilings started dropping but I could see sun through layer; then it started to snow; heavier and heavier; ceilings dropping and then I was IFR on my VFR trip. I tried climbing at first to get above layer which was forecast top at 5000 ft the briefer said; but still IMC. Started to get worried about what I was doing. IFR without a flight plan and not quite exactly sure where I was; also concerned about getting in way of IFR traffic in my area. I turned around and tuned in ZZZ1 VOR and headed to it. Also climbed to have a better chance of being on radar and center to see me and advise IFR traffic. Tuned in center frequency to listen if there was anyone else near me; but did not call. Didn't want to get into trouble being without a flight plan. Not quite sure what I should have done; but now I think calling would have been a better idea. Got closer to ZZZ1; layer broke up and I landed. What I should have done is just filed and gone IFR even though it would have taken a little longer. I was a little concerned though flying single pilot IFR and not having too much time in that particular airplane which was purchased less than 1 month ago. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: there was never contact with ATC or the FAA about this incident. Terrain avoidance was never an issue at any time. The reporter now understands that ATC would have been helpful if they had been called. The pilot has been instrument rated for approximately 2 yrs.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: IN AN EFFORT TO SAVE TIME AND AVOID DEVELOPING WX; A BELLANCA PLT FLIES VFR DIRECT ENDING UP IN THE WX. FEAR OF GETTING INTO TROUBLE PREVENTS CALLING ATC. EVENTUALLY RETURNED TO DEP STATION AFTER SOME CONFUSION.

Narrative: GOT A BRIEFING FROM FSS FOR A FLT FROM ZZZ1 TO ZZZ. TRIP WAS INTENDED TO PICK UP FRIEND AND RETURN TO ZZZ1 THAT EVENING. FORECAST CONDITIONS FOR ZZZ1 WERE TO BE IFR THAT EVENING. BRIEFER SAID WX WAS VFR IN BOTH ZZZ1 AND ZZZ AT TIME OF DEP; BUT ALONG RTE; CEILINGS WERE 3500 FT AGL IN SPOTS. DECIDED TO GO VFR BECAUSE AIRWAYS WOULD HAVE BEEN QUITE A BIT LONGER THAN DIRECT PATH AND HOPEFULLY COULD BEAT DETERIORATING WX FORECAST FOR RETURN TRIP. ABOUT A HALF HOUR OUT OF ZZZ1; CEILINGS STARTED DROPPING BUT I COULD SEE SUN THROUGH LAYER; THEN IT STARTED TO SNOW; HEAVIER AND HEAVIER; CEILINGS DROPPING AND THEN I WAS IFR ON MY VFR TRIP. I TRIED CLBING AT FIRST TO GET ABOVE LAYER WHICH WAS FORECAST TOP AT 5000 FT THE BRIEFER SAID; BUT STILL IMC. STARTED TO GET WORRIED ABOUT WHAT I WAS DOING. IFR WITHOUT A FLT PLAN AND NOT QUITE EXACTLY SURE WHERE I WAS; ALSO CONCERNED ABOUT GETTING IN WAY OF IFR TFC IN MY AREA. I TURNED AROUND AND TUNED IN ZZZ1 VOR AND HEADED TO IT. ALSO CLBED TO HAVE A BETTER CHANCE OF BEING ON RADAR AND CTR TO SEE ME AND ADVISE IFR TFC. TUNED IN CTR FREQ TO LISTEN IF THERE WAS ANYONE ELSE NEAR ME; BUT DID NOT CALL. DIDN'T WANT TO GET INTO TROUBLE BEING WITHOUT A FLT PLAN. NOT QUITE SURE WHAT I SHOULD HAVE DONE; BUT NOW I THINK CALLING WOULD HAVE BEEN A BETTER IDEA. GOT CLOSER TO ZZZ1; LAYER BROKE UP AND I LANDED. WHAT I SHOULD HAVE DONE IS JUST FILED AND GONE IFR EVEN THOUGH IT WOULD HAVE TAKEN A LITTLE LONGER. I WAS A LITTLE CONCERNED THOUGH FLYING SINGLE PLT IFR AND NOT HAVING TOO MUCH TIME IN THAT PARTICULAR AIRPLANE WHICH WAS PURCHASED LESS THAN 1 MONTH AGO. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THERE WAS NEVER CONTACT WITH ATC OR THE FAA ABOUT THIS INCIDENT. TERRAIN AVOIDANCE WAS NEVER AN ISSUE AT ANY TIME. THE RPTR NOW UNDERSTANDS THAT ATC WOULD HAVE BEEN HELPFUL IF THEY HAD BEEN CALLED. THE PLT HAS BEEN INSTRUMENT RATED FOR APPROX 2 YRS.

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.

In an effort to save time and avoid developing WX; a bellanca pilot flies VFR direct ending up in the WX. Fear of getting into trouble prevents calling ATC. Eventually returned to departure station after some confusion.