Narrative:

I received WX reports throughout the morning and they indicated I could depart ZZZ between XA00 and XC00. I departed at approximately XB45. I received my IFR clearance in the air about 15 NM south of ZZZ. En route the precipitation and turbulence began to increase. I made several calls to flight watch and FSS but my calls were not answered. Eventually after approximately 15 mins I was able to obtain communication with flight watch. It was indicated that there were thunderstorms that were building faster than anticipated along my route and I was advised to turn to a more southeasterly heading. I turned to approximately 150 degrees and continued on. After approximately 15 mins the precipitation and turbulence began increasing again. I was able to contact flight watch and they indicated cells had formed all around me. I was advised to climb to 7000 ft to get on top of the lower layer to gain a visual with the cells. I was able to get on top and I could see I was solidly boxed in by thunderstorms. I tried to obtain vectors from center through the cells but they were unable to render assistance. I circled in the clear for approximately 10 mins trying to locate a suitable airport. I was unable to locate a suitable field to ride out the storm so I declared an emergency with center to obtain vectors through the cell buildups. Upon receiving the vectors I was able to circumnavigate the cells and was able to complete my flight to ZZZ1. There were several factors that led to this occurrence. The WX built faster than forecast. I departed on the backside of my WX window. Center was too busy to give me vectors without myself declaring an emergency. WX services were slow in reaching me. Also my aircraft was equipped with no WX avoidance/detection equipment. Possible corrective actions are increased staffing at ATC and WX facilities. Also I could have departed earlier and been more proactive with my WX briefings. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: ARTCC did notice the circling maneuver to avoid the WX. When communication was established the seriousness of the situation was communicated to them with the declaration of an emergency.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A PA28 PLT ENCOUNTERS CONVECTIVE WX REQUIRING THE DECLARATION OF AN EMER IN ORDER TO OBTAIN ASSISTANCE FROM ARTCC WHO WAS BUSY OTHERWISE.

Narrative: I RECEIVED WX RPTS THROUGHOUT THE MORNING AND THEY INDICATED I COULD DEPART ZZZ BETWEEN XA00 AND XC00. I DEPARTED AT APPROX XB45. I RECEIVED MY IFR CLRNC IN THE AIR ABOUT 15 NM S OF ZZZ. ENRTE THE PRECIPITATION AND TURB BEGAN TO INCREASE. I MADE SEVERAL CALLS TO FLT WATCH AND FSS BUT MY CALLS WERE NOT ANSWERED. EVENTUALLY AFTER APPROX 15 MINS I WAS ABLE TO OBTAIN COM WITH FLT WATCH. IT WAS INDICATED THAT THERE WERE TSTMS THAT WERE BUILDING FASTER THAN ANTICIPATED ALONG MY RTE AND I WAS ADVISED TO TURN TO A MORE SOUTHEASTERLY HDG. I TURNED TO APPROX 150 DEGS AND CONTINUED ON. AFTER APPROX 15 MINS THE PRECIPITATION AND TURB BEGAN INCREASING AGAIN. I WAS ABLE TO CONTACT FLT WATCH AND THEY INDICATED CELLS HAD FORMED ALL AROUND ME. I WAS ADVISED TO CLB TO 7000 FT TO GET ON TOP OF THE LOWER LAYER TO GAIN A VISUAL WITH THE CELLS. I WAS ABLE TO GET ON TOP AND I COULD SEE I WAS SOLIDLY BOXED IN BY THUNDERSTORMS. I TRIED TO OBTAIN VECTORS FROM CTR THROUGH THE CELLS BUT THEY WERE UNABLE TO RENDER ASSISTANCE. I CIRCLED IN THE CLR FOR APPROX 10 MINS TRYING TO LOCATE A SUITABLE ARPT. I WAS UNABLE TO LOCATE A SUITABLE FIELD TO RIDE OUT THE STORM SO I DECLARED AN EMER WITH CTR TO OBTAIN VECTORS THROUGH THE CELL BUILDUPS. UPON RECEIVING THE VECTORS I WAS ABLE TO CIRCUMNAVIGATE THE CELLS AND WAS ABLE TO COMPLETE MY FLT TO ZZZ1. THERE WERE SEVERAL FACTORS THAT LED TO THIS OCCURRENCE. THE WX BUILT FASTER THAN FORECAST. I DEPARTED ON THE BACKSIDE OF MY WX WINDOW. CTR WAS TOO BUSY TO GIVE ME VECTORS WITHOUT MYSELF DECLARING AN EMER. WX SVCS WERE SLOW IN REACHING ME. ALSO MY ACFT WAS EQUIPPED WITH NO WX AVOIDANCE/DETECTION EQUIPMENT. POSSIBLE CORRECTIVE ACTIONS ARE INCREASED STAFFING AT ATC AND WX FACILITIES. ALSO I COULD HAVE DEPARTED EARLIER AND BEEN MORE PROACTIVE WITH MY WX BRIEFINGS. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: ARTCC DID NOTICE THE CIRCLING MANEUVER TO AVOID THE WX. WHEN COM WAS ESTABLISHED THE SERIOUSNESS OF THE SIT WAS COMMUNICATED TO THEM WITH THE DECLARATION OF AN EMER.

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.