Narrative:

A VFR flight was planned by use of hand-held GPS and sect chart. A call to FSS briefer was made 1 hour prior to departing. The briefer advised that a ceiling of 8;000 ft and light rain with visibility of 6 to 8 miles would be expected throughout our trip. A total distance of 95 miles would be covered in a little over 1 hour and our total fuel burn would be 7 gallons. The champ had a total of 18.5 gallons. The weather at departure was 10 plus miles and 8;000 ft. A heading of 250 degrees and cruise altitude of 2;800 ft was established. After traveling 25 SM we encountered light rain and 6 to 8 miles visibility. Before we had gone 50 miles we had light rain and broken clouds at our cruise altitude of 2;800 ft. As we went solid very quickly; I made a 180 degree turn. We flew back to clear of clouds in rain. We then turned on a heading of 150 degrees to the nearest airport 8 miles away. After landing in light rain we parked the plane and went inside the FBO to check weather to the west. A band of weather would pass to the east in about 2 or 3 hours from now. After returning from lunch in the city; we checked the weather on the FBO computer again. The weather was clearing with no rain. A call to the FSS briefer was made. This briefer reported 2;300 ft ceilings and 4 to 6 miles visibility with unstable air mass. She said another front was approaching but should not be a problem for the flight time left. My destination was 53 SM west south-west and I received two calls from my pilot-friends that the weather was VFR there. Based on this information; we departed and flew a heading of 260 degrees at 1;800 ft join our GPS course to destination. Expecting better conditions from our reports we encountered lower ceilings and immediately went solid IMC for 30 minutes with no break in zero visibility. I made a call on 121.5 twice and an air carrier flight came back asking about our problem. They put me in touch with approach control who tried to vector me to a field; but with no VOR or NDB I could only fly the plane. I was experiencing spatial disorientation with increasing airspeed and decreasing altitude. I thought we were in a constant turn to the left. We had a clear hole in the clouds to the ground at this point to see that the plane was descending to the right. We went into the clouds again and I made small corrections to stick and rudder while watching altitude-airspeed-compass. We finally broke out in 6 to 8 mile wide clearing and 600 ft ceilings. I found the best of three different country roads below me and circling to check for ground vehicles (none) I told the controller I would be landing uneventfully. After landing and taxiing to a farm gate I shut the engine down. The farm hands helped me push the plane through the gate and we secured the plane. No damage to plane or property. We returned two days later and with clear blue skies I flew the plane solo 9.7 miles to an airport for fuel. Total fuel remaining was 6 gallons/1 hour flight time remaining. I added 13 gallons and we departed for home airport. I understand the pilot has the last decision pertaining to his flight. Based on the FSS reports and pilot report at the destination airport; I did feel I was making the right decision. I did inadvertently enter IMC and this has taught me a valuable lesson. I read most of the articles involving aircraft accidents and the things pilots do wrong. This is up close and personal now.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: Aeronca pilot reports encountering unforecast weather on a VFR flight and diverts to a nearby airport to wait. Departing again several hours later and with a good forecast; IMC are again encountered. This time an attempt to penetrate the weather resulted in disorientation and an uncontrolled descent below the clouds resulting in a precautionary landing on a country road.

Narrative: A VFR flight was planned by use of hand-held GPS and sect chart. A call to FSS briefer was made 1 hour prior to departing. The briefer advised that a ceiling of 8;000 FT and light rain with visibility of 6 to 8 miles would be expected throughout our trip. A total distance of 95 miles would be covered in a little over 1 hour and our total fuel burn would be 7 gallons. The Champ had a total of 18.5 gallons. The weather at departure was 10 plus miles and 8;000 FT. A heading of 250 degrees and cruise altitude of 2;800 FT was established. After traveling 25 SM we encountered light rain and 6 to 8 miles visibility. Before we had gone 50 miles we had light rain and broken clouds at our cruise altitude of 2;800 FT. As we went solid very quickly; I made a 180 degree turn. We flew back to clear of clouds in rain. We then turned on a heading of 150 degrees to the nearest airport 8 miles away. After landing in light rain we parked the plane and went inside the FBO to check weather to the west. A band of weather would pass to the east in about 2 or 3 hours from now. After returning from lunch in the city; we checked the weather on the FBO computer again. The weather was clearing with no rain. A call to the FSS briefer was made. This briefer reported 2;300 FT ceilings and 4 to 6 miles visibility with unstable air mass. She said another front was approaching but should not be a problem for the flight time left. My destination was 53 SM west south-west and I received two calls from my pilot-friends that the weather was VFR there. Based on this information; we departed and flew a heading of 260 degrees at 1;800 FT join our GPS course to destination. Expecting better conditions from our reports we encountered lower ceilings and immediately went solid IMC for 30 minutes with no break in zero visibility. I made a call on 121.5 twice and an air carrier flight came back asking about our problem. They put me in touch with Approach Control who tried to vector me to a field; but with no VOR or NDB I could only fly the plane. I was experiencing spatial disorientation with increasing airspeed and decreasing altitude. I thought we were in a constant turn to the left. We had a clear hole in the clouds to the ground at this point to see that the plane was descending to the right. We went into the clouds again and I made small corrections to stick and rudder while watching ALT-AIRSPEED-COMPASS. We finally broke out in 6 to 8 mile wide clearing and 600 FT ceilings. I found the best of three different country roads below me and circling to check for ground vehicles (none) I told the Controller I would be landing uneventfully. After landing and taxiing to a farm gate I shut the engine down. The farm hands helped me push the plane through the gate and we secured the plane. No damage to plane or property. We returned two days later and with clear blue skies I flew the plane solo 9.7 miles to an airport for fuel. Total fuel remaining was 6 gallons/1 hour flight time remaining. I added 13 gallons and we departed for home airport. I understand the pilot has the last decision pertaining to his flight. Based on the FSS reports and pilot report at the destination airport; I did feel I was making the right decision. I did inadvertently enter IMC and this has taught me a valuable lesson. I read most of the articles involving aircraft accidents and the things pilots do wrong. This is up close and personal now.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of April 2012 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.