An RV4 pilot anticipating VMC conditions discovered his destination IMC and with no radio landed at ...

Narrative:

VFR flight from ZZZ1-ZZZ2 approximately 040 degree heading cruise 10500 ft. Arrived near destination ZZZ2 after VFR on top of low undercast for last 40 mi of flight. The low undercast was just rolling into the area. Had elected to fly above a haze layer at lower altitudes prior to the undercast developing. Stayed on top due to WX reports approximately 30 mi prior to destination and 5 mi past destination. Reporting station 30 mi prior to reported 1900 ft overcast. 5 mi past ZZZ2; abc ATIS reported 1400 ft few as the undercast hadn't reached them yet giving me the impression I could get under and reach ZZZ2 with 1900 ft ceiling before the WX reached them. Upon arrival near ZZZ2 it was obvious that the undercast was farther along than expected but some holes were apparent. I flew down through a hole and once underneath; realized the ceiling was not 1900 ft as expected but only 400-500 ft. I climbed back up above the clouds and searched for a hole near ZZZ3 but the undercast was thickening and a descent was not possible. I then flew south to ZZZ and landed with minimum fuel reserves. While descending around ZZZ2 and searching around ZZZ3; cloud clearance was not maintained to FAA regulations but visual conditions were maintained. I was caught with minimal fuel and far worse WX than forecast (expected 4000 ft few cumulo nimbus clouds per duats briefing); and deteriorating. I allowed myself to feel serious pressure to land due to fuel status and unknown WX at possible diversion opportunities. This was exacerbated by my use of a handheld radio as my not-required panel radio was out for repair. Minimal radio range severely limited my range for requesting ATC/FSS assistance and so I simply tried to do the best I could with the information at hand. I took off with better than 45 mins fuel reserve but not full tanks as the price of fuel was lower at my destination. Full tanks and/or normal radio range would have eliminated the pressure I allowed myself to feel at the time of the event which lead to what I felt were emergency procedures. Poor sleep (3 hours) due to family and work issues is a possible but not clear factor in line of reason used at the time.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN RV4 PLT ANTICIPATING VMC CONDITIONS DISCOVERED HIS DEST IMC AND WITH NO RADIO LANDED AT A SECOND ALT USING RESERVE FUEL BELOW VFR MINIMUMS.

Narrative: VFR FLT FROM ZZZ1-ZZZ2 APPROX 040 DEG HDG CRUISE 10500 FT. ARRIVED NEAR DEST ZZZ2 AFTER VFR ON TOP OF LOW UNDERCAST FOR LAST 40 MI OF FLT. THE LOW UNDERCAST WAS JUST ROLLING INTO THE AREA. HAD ELECTED TO FLY ABOVE A HAZE LAYER AT LOWER ALTS PRIOR TO THE UNDERCAST DEVELOPING. STAYED ON TOP DUE TO WX RPTS APPROX 30 MI PRIOR TO DEST AND 5 MI PAST DEST. RPTING STATION 30 MI PRIOR TO RPTED 1900 FT OVCST. 5 MI PAST ZZZ2; ABC ATIS RPTED 1400 FT FEW AS THE UNDERCAST HADN'T REACHED THEM YET GIVING ME THE IMPRESSION I COULD GET UNDER AND REACH ZZZ2 WITH 1900 FT CEILING BEFORE THE WX REACHED THEM. UPON ARR NEAR ZZZ2 IT WAS OBVIOUS THAT THE UNDERCAST WAS FARTHER ALONG THAN EXPECTED BUT SOME HOLES WERE APPARENT. I FLEW DOWN THROUGH A HOLE AND ONCE UNDERNEATH; REALIZED THE CEILING WAS NOT 1900 FT AS EXPECTED BUT ONLY 400-500 FT. I CLBED BACK UP ABOVE THE CLOUDS AND SEARCHED FOR A HOLE NEAR ZZZ3 BUT THE UNDERCAST WAS THICKENING AND A DSCNT WAS NOT POSSIBLE. I THEN FLEW S TO ZZZ AND LANDED WITH MINIMUM FUEL RESERVES. WHILE DSNDING AROUND ZZZ2 AND SEARCHING AROUND ZZZ3; CLOUD CLRNC WAS NOT MAINTAINED TO FAA REGS BUT VISUAL CONDITIONS WERE MAINTAINED. I WAS CAUGHT WITH MINIMAL FUEL AND FAR WORSE WX THAN FORECAST (EXPECTED 4000 FT FEW CUMULO NIMBUS CLOUDS PER DUATS BRIEFING); AND DETERIORATING. I ALLOWED MYSELF TO FEEL SERIOUS PRESSURE TO LAND DUE TO FUEL STATUS AND UNKNOWN WX AT POSSIBLE DIVERSION OPPORTUNITIES. THIS WAS EXACERBATED BY MY USE OF A HANDHELD RADIO AS MY NOT-REQUIRED PANEL RADIO WAS OUT FOR REPAIR. MINIMAL RADIO RANGE SEVERELY LIMITED MY RANGE FOR REQUESTING ATC/FSS ASSISTANCE AND SO I SIMPLY TRIED TO DO THE BEST I COULD WITH THE INFO AT HAND. I TOOK OFF WITH BETTER THAN 45 MINS FUEL RESERVE BUT NOT FULL TANKS AS THE PRICE OF FUEL WAS LOWER AT MY DEST. FULL TANKS AND/OR NORMAL RADIO RANGE WOULD HAVE ELIMINATED THE PRESSURE I ALLOWED MYSELF TO FEEL AT THE TIME OF THE EVENT WHICH LEAD TO WHAT I FELT WERE EMER PROCS. POOR SLEEP (3 HRS) DUE TO FAMILY AND WORK ISSUES IS A POSSIBLE BUT NOT CLR FACTOR IN LINE OF REASON USED AT THE TIME.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 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.

Attributes
ACN	802393
Time
Date	200808
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	agl single value : 500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Amateur (Home) Built
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	cruise : level descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : visual arrival : vfr
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 20 flight time total : 280 flight time type : 50
ASRS Report	802392
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : vfr in imc inflight encounter : weather non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : diverted to alternate
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Weather Aircraft Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Weather

An RV4 pilot anticipating VMC conditions discovered his destination IMC and with no radio landed at a second altitude using reserve fuel below VFR minimums.