VFR flight in IMC. Unauthorized entry into air traffic area.

Attributes
ACN	129130
Time
Date	198911
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : bdr
State Reference	CT
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2300 msl bound upper : 3000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Marginal
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : n90 tower : isp tower : den
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	descent : approach descent other
Route In Use	arrival other enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 28 flight time total : 1046 flight time type : 28
ASRS Report	129130
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : vfr in imc inflight encounter : weather non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : exited adverse environment none taken : unable
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

While on a flight from danbury, ct, where I had gone a few hours earlier (around noon) and left at approximately XX10 in VFR conditions, I encountered deteriorating WX that I was south of bridgeport (over long island sound). I contacted approach as I always do on 126.95 to let them know I'm there, to watch me over water, and as an aid to have them point out traffic to me as I was near long island macarthur airport. I descended out of 30000' to I believe 2300' MSL account of clouds. They headed me at 090 degrees along ct coast, and I asked them to tell bridgeport ATC that I had descended. A few mi from bridgeport on a 090 degree heading, I told approach that I was going to go across long island sound on a 150 degree heading, and when more than halfway across ran into complete IFR cloud formations (at all different levels). They turned me w-erly to stay out of macarthur arsa. They (126.95) asked me if I had any IFR training, and I replied no. They told me a helicopter had the base of the clouds at 1300' MSL, to which I started to descend to. I did break out at about that height and turned toward my field with ATC approach, staying with me until brookhaven airport was in sight. Errors made by me: 1) not obtaining WX report at danbury (it looked ok there). 2) descending within airport traffic zone from 3000' (legal) to 2300' (illegal) west/O prior permission of control tower. 3) flying into IFR conditions while VFR rated (even though I was in contact) I should have gone lower or turned back and landed at bridgeport.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: VFR FLT IN IMC. UNAUTH ENTRY INTO ATA.

Narrative: WHILE ON A FLT FROM DANBURY, CT, WHERE I HAD GONE A FEW HRS EARLIER (AROUND NOON) AND LEFT AT APPROX XX10 IN VFR CONDITIONS, I ENCOUNTERED DETERIORATING WX THAT I WAS S OF BRIDGEPORT (OVER LONG ISLAND SOUND). I CONTACTED APCH AS I ALWAYS DO ON 126.95 TO LET THEM KNOW I'M THERE, TO WATCH ME OVER WATER, AND AS AN AID TO HAVE THEM POINT OUT TFC TO ME AS I WAS NEAR LONG ISLAND MACARTHUR ARPT. I DSNDED OUT OF 30000' TO I BELIEVE 2300' MSL ACCOUNT OF CLOUDS. THEY HEADED ME AT 090 DEGS ALONG CT COAST, AND I ASKED THEM TO TELL BRIDGEPORT ATC THAT I HAD DSNDED. A FEW MI FROM BRIDGEPORT ON A 090 DEG HDG, I TOLD APCH THAT I WAS GOING TO GO ACROSS LONG ISLAND SOUND ON A 150 DEG HDG, AND WHEN MORE THAN HALFWAY ACROSS RAN INTO COMPLETE IFR CLOUD FORMATIONS (AT ALL DIFFERENT LEVELS). THEY TURNED ME W-ERLY TO STAY OUT OF MACARTHUR ARSA. THEY (126.95) ASKED ME IF I HAD ANY IFR TRNING, AND I REPLIED NO. THEY TOLD ME A HELI HAD THE BASE OF THE CLOUDS AT 1300' MSL, TO WHICH I STARTED TO DSND TO. I DID BREAK OUT AT ABOUT THAT HEIGHT AND TURNED TOWARD MY FIELD WITH ATC APCH, STAYING WITH ME UNTIL BROOKHAVEN ARPT WAS IN SIGHT. ERRORS MADE BY ME: 1) NOT OBTAINING WX RPT AT DANBURY (IT LOOKED OK THERE). 2) DSNDING WITHIN ARPT TFC ZONE FROM 3000' (LEGAL) TO 2300' (ILLEGAL) W/O PRIOR PERMISSION OF CTL TWR. 3) FLYING INTO IFR CONDITIONS WHILE VFR RATED (EVEN THOUGH I WAS IN CONTACT) I SHOULD HAVE GONE LOWER OR TURNED BACK AND LANDED AT BRIDGEPORT.

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.