Narrative:

I obtained a WX briefing from FSS and filed a VFR flight plan for an XA30 departure from ZZZ to ZZZ1. Actual departure was XA00. At the time of the briefing it was IFR. Forecast was for broken to scattered between XB00-XC00. I departed with full fuel of 60 gallons; ie; 6 hours at typical cruise power setting of 9-10 gph. Route was initially southeast along shoreline. I climbed to 9500 ft over cloud layer and proceeded to a northeast on course heading for ZZZ1. I contacted approach for routine flight following service. By the time I reached abc; it did not appear that the cloud layer (approximately 2000-4000 ft MSL) was breaking up. When I was handed over from one approach to another approach; I received further information on the cloud layer. ATC was very helpful asking pilots to report any holes in the clouds; etc. I went into a slow flight circling mode above the ZZZ1 area. I circled for about 45 mins. I was then told that the cloud layer was thinning out south. I flew southwest in slow flight; cleared through class B airspace; and was handed over to another approach. They inquired as to my IMC experience and equipment on board. I replied that I had 20 hours of hood time and an autoplt with wing stabilizing and altitude hold control. Cleared me for an IMC descent from 3000 ft MSL to 2000 ft MSL. At that point I was in VFR conditions with about 5-6 mi visibility. I flew back to ZZZ1 and executed a standard VFR landing. The entire trip was about 4.5 hours and I had consumed a total of 31 gallons during that time. I was never in danger of a low fuel emergency since I could have flown to ZZZ2 which was VFR and landed. At all locations ATC was extremely professional; supportive and helpful. My learnings from this occurrence were threefold: 1) always depart with full fuel (my normal practice). 2) establish contact with ATC for flight following as soon as possible (again; a standard practice for me). ATC can be a critical asset for the VFR pilot. 3) be more skeptical of WX forecasts when WX system can be stationary for hours or days. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter stated that the second TRACON sector that he was directed to wanted his pilot's information. The TRACON person stated that they were not concerned about a violation but simply needed the information to complete their flight assist paperwork. The reporter has heard nothing further from ATC. The reporter considers this event 'no big deal' because he was not in IMC very long and he is/was currently working toward an IFR rating.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A VFR C172 PLT RPTS RECEIVING ATC ASSISTANCE DURING AN IMC DSCNT TO HIS DEST.

Narrative: I OBTAINED A WX BRIEFING FROM FSS AND FILED A VFR FLT PLAN FOR AN XA30 DEP FROM ZZZ TO ZZZ1. ACTUAL DEP WAS XA00. AT THE TIME OF THE BRIEFING IT WAS IFR. FORECAST WAS FOR BROKEN TO SCATTERED BTWN XB00-XC00. I DEPARTED WITH FULL FUEL OF 60 GALLONS; IE; 6 HRS AT TYPICAL CRUISE PWR SETTING OF 9-10 GPH. RTE WAS INITIALLY SE ALONG SHORELINE. I CLBED TO 9500 FT OVER CLOUD LAYER AND PROCEEDED TO A NE ON COURSE HDG FOR ZZZ1. I CONTACTED APCH FOR ROUTINE FLT FOLLOWING SVC. BY THE TIME I REACHED ABC; IT DID NOT APPEAR THAT THE CLOUD LAYER (APPROX 2000-4000 FT MSL) WAS BREAKING UP. WHEN I WAS HANDED OVER FROM ONE APCH TO ANOTHER APCH; I RECEIVED FURTHER INFO ON THE CLOUD LAYER. ATC WAS VERY HELPFUL ASKING PLTS TO RPT ANY HOLES IN THE CLOUDS; ETC. I WENT INTO A SLOW FLT CIRCLING MODE ABOVE THE ZZZ1 AREA. I CIRCLED FOR ABOUT 45 MINS. I WAS THEN TOLD THAT THE CLOUD LAYER WAS THINNING OUT S. I FLEW SW IN SLOW FLT; CLRED THROUGH CLASS B AIRSPACE; AND WAS HANDED OVER TO ANOTHER APCH. THEY INQUIRED AS TO MY IMC EXPERIENCE AND EQUIP ON BOARD. I REPLIED THAT I HAD 20 HRS OF HOOD TIME AND AN AUTOPLT WITH WING STABILIZING AND ALT HOLD CTL. CLRED ME FOR AN IMC DSCNT FROM 3000 FT MSL TO 2000 FT MSL. AT THAT POINT I WAS IN VFR CONDITIONS WITH ABOUT 5-6 MI VISIBILITY. I FLEW BACK TO ZZZ1 AND EXECUTED A STANDARD VFR LNDG. THE ENTIRE TRIP WAS ABOUT 4.5 HRS AND I HAD CONSUMED A TOTAL OF 31 GALLONS DURING THAT TIME. I WAS NEVER IN DANGER OF A LOW FUEL EMER SINCE I COULD HAVE FLOWN TO ZZZ2 WHICH WAS VFR AND LANDED. AT ALL LOCATIONS ATC WAS EXTREMELY PROFESSIONAL; SUPPORTIVE AND HELPFUL. MY LEARNINGS FROM THIS OCCURRENCE WERE THREEFOLD: 1) ALWAYS DEPART WITH FULL FUEL (MY NORMAL PRACTICE). 2) ESTABLISH CONTACT WITH ATC FOR FLT FOLLOWING ASAP (AGAIN; A STANDARD PRACTICE FOR ME). ATC CAN BE A CRITICAL ASSET FOR THE VFR PLT. 3) BE MORE SKEPTICAL OF WX FORECASTS WHEN WX SYS CAN BE STATIONARY FOR HRS OR DAYS. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATED THAT THE SECOND TRACON SECTOR THAT HE WAS DIRECTED TO WANTED HIS PLT'S INFO. THE TRACON PERSON STATED THAT THEY WERE NOT CONCERNED ABOUT A VIOLATION BUT SIMPLY NEEDED THE INFO TO COMPLETE THEIR FLT ASSIST PAPERWORK. THE RPTR HAS HEARD NOTHING FURTHER FROM ATC. THE RPTR CONSIDERS THIS EVENT 'NO BIG DEAL' BECAUSE HE WAS NOT IN IMC VERY LONG AND HE IS/WAS CURRENTLY WORKING TOWARD AN IFR RATING.

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.