GA small aircraft on a charter flight VFR in IMC.

Attributes
ACN	138765
Time
Date	199003
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : isn
State Reference	ND
Altitude	agl bound lower : 500 agl bound upper : 500
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : sav
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Retractable Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute airway : v71
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : cfi pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 177 flight time total : 1480 flight time type : 40
ASRS Report	138765
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : weather inflight encounter : vfr in imc non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : exited adverse environment other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Encountering rapidly lowering ceilings en route from williston to bismarck. To stay out of the clouds I was forced to fly at 500' AGL. From the looks conditions would not improve. Since I always carry IFR en route/approach charts I decided that instead of pushing on, filing IFR would be the better choice. I climbed through a thin layer of 100' to the appropriate 7500' altitude. There I contacted ZMP (133.55) and received an IFR clearance into bismarck. Termination of the flight was accomplished by the means of an ILS approach. Isn sky clear visibility 10 mi. Bis representative 1800 overcast visibility 5 mi. Dik IFR 800 overcast 2 1/2 mi light snow. Bis forecast MVFR till XX00 local. Ceiling at arrival 1000 overcast. Generally a high to the east and a strong low over colorado with associated front was active over southwest north dakota. Conditions marginal and VFR not recommended. No PIREPS or forecast showed this WX, however. Though uncomfortable with doing something against the regulations my overall thought at that moment was that I am not going to jeopardize my passenger, the aircraft and myself in low VFR being current on instruments.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GA SMA ON A CHARTER FLT VFR IN IMC.

Narrative: ENCOUNTERING RAPIDLY LOWERING CEILINGS ENRTE FROM WILLISTON TO BISMARCK. TO STAY OUT OF THE CLOUDS I WAS FORCED TO FLY AT 500' AGL. FROM THE LOOKS CONDITIONS WOULD NOT IMPROVE. SINCE I ALWAYS CARRY IFR ENRTE/APCH CHARTS I DECIDED THAT INSTEAD OF PUSHING ON, FILING IFR WOULD BE THE BETTER CHOICE. I CLIMBED THROUGH A THIN LAYER OF 100' TO THE APPROPRIATE 7500' ALT. THERE I CONTACTED ZMP (133.55) AND RECEIVED AN IFR CLRNC INTO BISMARCK. TERMINATION OF THE FLT WAS ACCOMPLISHED BY THE MEANS OF AN ILS APCH. ISN SKY CLEAR VISIBILITY 10 MI. BIS REPRESENTATIVE 1800 OVCST VISIBILITY 5 MI. DIK IFR 800 OVCST 2 1/2 MI LIGHT SNOW. BIS FORECAST MVFR TILL XX00 LOCAL. CEILING AT ARRIVAL 1000 OVCST. GENERALLY A HIGH TO THE EAST AND A STRONG LOW OVER COLORADO WITH ASSOCIATED FRONT WAS ACTIVE OVER SW NORTH DAKOTA. CONDITIONS MARGINAL AND VFR NOT RECOMMENDED. NO PIREPS OR FORECAST SHOWED THIS WX, HOWEVER. THOUGH UNCOMFORTABLE WITH DOING SOMETHING AGAINST THE REGS MY OVERALL THOUGHT AT THAT MOMENT WAS THAT I AM NOT GOING TO JEOPARDIZE MY PAX, THE ACFT AND MYSELF IN LOW VFR BEING CURRENT ON INSTRUMENTS.

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