Narrative:

Upon taking off from drt to 5c1 on dec/xa/06; I requested flight following as it was a moonless night over desolate terrain. I failed to check WX before departing drt in VMC conditions. Upon getting close to 5c1; and after being handed off from ZHU to sat approach; sat approach advised me that the ceilings were at 800 ft. I did not have enough fuel to attempt to fly to an alternate airport. I had just completed my first 5 hours of instrument instruction and was flying back alone without my cfii. I decided not to risk an approach into 5c1 as it has no published approach procedure. Not having enough fuel to go to somewhere where it was VMC; I elected to request vectors to the ILS from sat approach. After getting vectors to the ILS; I descended into IMC conditions at 4000 ft MSL after I was established on the ILS. I successfully completed the approach; breaking out of IMC at 800 ft AGL and landed. The problem arose because of lack of fuel to get to an alternate that was in VMC conditions. The only contributing factor I can think of was that I elected not to refuel in drt because of a $30 'after hours' charge to get gas. (How stupid is that?) the problem was discovered too late because of little or no ambient light (no moon; desolate terrain) to provide any indication that I was flying over a cloud cover. The only factors that affected the quality of my performance for getting on the ground safely was the superb training I received from my instructor prior to this situation arising. Had this been a 'just for fun' day of flying; (my 5 total hours of instrument training were on day xx as well) I would not be typing this report right now. If I had it to do over again; I would have checked WX before departing drt after dropping my cfii off; and I should have refueled the plane. I have never been so scared in my life.

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AS A RESULT OF NOT CHKING DEST WX; NON INST RATED PLT NEEDS TO FLY IMC INST APCH TO SAT.

Narrative: UPON TAKING OFF FROM DRT TO 5C1 ON DEC/XA/06; I REQUESTED FLT FOLLOWING AS IT WAS A MOONLESS NIGHT OVER DESOLATE TERRAIN. I FAILED TO CHK WX BEFORE DEPARTING DRT IN VMC CONDITIONS. UPON GETTING CLOSE TO 5C1; AND AFTER BEING HANDED OFF FROM ZHU TO SAT APCH; SAT APCH ADVISED ME THAT THE CEILINGS WERE AT 800 FT. I DID NOT HAVE ENOUGH FUEL TO ATTEMPT TO FLY TO AN ALTERNATE ARPT. I HAD JUST COMPLETED MY FIRST 5 HRS OF INST INSTRUCTION AND WAS FLYING BACK ALONE WITHOUT MY CFII. I DECIDED NOT TO RISK AN APCH INTO 5C1 AS IT HAS NO PUBLISHED APCH PROC. NOT HAVING ENOUGH FUEL TO GO TO SOMEWHERE WHERE IT WAS VMC; I ELECTED TO REQUEST VECTORS TO THE ILS FROM SAT APCH. AFTER GETTING VECTORS TO THE ILS; I DSNDED INTO IMC CONDITIONS AT 4000 FT MSL AFTER I WAS ESTABLISHED ON THE ILS. I SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETED THE APCH; BREAKING OUT OF IMC AT 800 FT AGL AND LANDED. THE PROB AROSE BECAUSE OF LACK OF FUEL TO GET TO AN ALTERNATE THAT WAS IN VMC CONDITIONS. THE ONLY CONTRIBUTING FACTOR I CAN THINK OF WAS THAT I ELECTED NOT TO REFUEL IN DRT BECAUSE OF A $30 'AFTER HRS' CHARGE TO GET GAS. (HOW STUPID IS THAT?) THE PROB WAS DISCOVERED TOO LATE BECAUSE OF LITTLE OR NO AMBIENT LIGHT (NO MOON; DESOLATE TERRAIN) TO PROVIDE ANY INDICATION THAT I WAS FLYING OVER A CLOUD COVER. THE ONLY FACTORS THAT AFFECTED THE QUALITY OF MY PERFORMANCE FOR GETTING ON THE GND SAFELY WAS THE SUPERB TRAINING I RECEIVED FROM MY INSTRUCTOR PRIOR TO THIS SIT ARISING. HAD THIS BEEN A 'JUST FOR FUN' DAY OF FLYING; (MY 5 TOTAL HRS OF INST TRAINING WERE ON DAY XX AS WELL) I WOULD NOT BE TYPING THIS RPT RIGHT NOW. IF I HAD IT TO DO OVER AGAIN; I WOULD HAVE CHKED WX BEFORE DEPARTING DRT AFTER DROPPING MY CFII OFF; AND I SHOULD HAVE REFUELED THE PLANE. I HAVE NEVER BEEN SO SCARED IN MY LIFE.

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.