Pilot of small aircraft atx freighter attempting to land wrangell flying VFR encountered IMC.

Attributes
ACN	126821
Time
Date	198910
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : wrg
State Reference	AK
Altitude	msl bound lower : 6006 msl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zan
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	descent : approach landing other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 1075 flight time type : 100
ASRS Report	126821
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified cockpit
Resolutory Action	flight crew : exited adverse environment none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

On scheduled flight from ketchikan, ak to wrangell, ak, asked flight service for wrangell WX -- was VFR. At about 10 mi from wrangell WX and ceilings went down. Tops at 4500 MSL. Went under the overcast to 600' MSL. VFR fog banks on both sides of route and visibilities dropping. While looking to my left for another possible route, inadvertently flew into clouds. Since I knew my position in relation to wrangell and surrounding terrain and tops, I immediately made maximum performance climb IFR to the cloud tops then proceeded to the nearest VOR where I knew WX was VFR, which was about 30 mi on 240 degree heading. Descended VFR. Remained VFR and landed at wrangell where it was VFR to the west of the airport. Don't rely totally on WX reports. Slow aircraft down when low visibility or poor WX is encountered while VFR. I've flown for 12 yrs with no accidents, incidents or violations. WX in southeast alaska is unique, constantly changing, at rates I wasn't accustomed to. I flew the same route a little over an hour before and the fog (ceiling) was 700-800' MSL. My experience in the past is that fog usually lifted as the day went on. In this case just the opposite happened.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF SMA ATX FREIGHTER ATTEMPTING TO LAND WRANGELL FLYING VFR ENCOUNTERED IMC.

Narrative: ON SCHEDULED FLT FROM KETCHIKAN, AK TO WRANGELL, AK, ASKED FLT SERVICE FOR WRANGELL WX -- WAS VFR. AT ABOUT 10 MI FROM WRANGELL WX AND CEILINGS WENT DOWN. TOPS AT 4500 MSL. WENT UNDER THE OVERCAST TO 600' MSL. VFR FOG BANKS ON BOTH SIDES OF ROUTE AND VISIBILITIES DROPPING. WHILE LOOKING TO MY LEFT FOR ANOTHER POSSIBLE ROUTE, INADVERTENTLY FLEW INTO CLOUDS. SINCE I KNEW MY POSITION IN RELATION TO WRANGELL AND SURROUNDING TERRAIN AND TOPS, I IMMEDIATELY MADE MAX PERFORMANCE CLIMB IFR TO THE CLOUD TOPS THEN PROCEEDED TO THE NEAREST VOR WHERE I KNEW WX WAS VFR, WHICH WAS ABOUT 30 MI ON 240 DEG HDG. DESCENDED VFR. REMAINED VFR AND LANDED AT WRANGELL WHERE IT WAS VFR TO THE W OF THE ARPT. DON'T RELY TOTALLY ON WX REPORTS. SLOW ACFT DOWN WHEN LOW VISIBILITY OR POOR WX IS ENCOUNTERED WHILE VFR. I'VE FLOWN FOR 12 YRS WITH NO ACCIDENTS, INCIDENTS OR VIOLATIONS. WX IN SE ALASKA IS UNIQUE, CONSTANTLY CHANGING, AT RATES I WASN'T ACCUSTOMED TO. I FLEW THE SAME ROUTE A LITTLE OVER AN HR BEFORE AND THE FOG (CEILING) WAS 700-800' MSL. MY EXPERIENCE IN THE PAST IS THAT FOG USUALLY LIFTED AS THE DAY WENT ON. IN THIS CASE JUST THE OPPOSITE HAPPENED.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 2007 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.