GA-small aircraft required fltassist to get to an airport with VFR WX.

Attributes
ACN	139093
Time
Date	199003
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : bix
State Reference	MS
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3000 msl bound upper : 3000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : bix
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 40 flight time total : 1800
ASRS Report	139093
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : weather
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : provided flight assist controller : issued new clearance flight crew : exited adverse environment
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

Took off from mob at xx:xx am in clear skies. Headed east (to fl) fog bank off coast and inland observed with 3-5 mi clear along coast. Forecast called for clearing skies and rising ceilings. Headed east at 60 KTS to pascagoula. Strip of clear WX was closing in and ground fog increasing. Headed inland for 15 mi to see if any breaks in fog. Seeing none I returned southwest to biloxi at 3000'. It was still clear along the biloxi beach front but only for 3-4 mi. After orbiting that area for 20-30 mins, I finally contacted biloxi tower to ask for suggestions as to where there was a clear airport. Tower said sharp improvement expected in 45 mins. I had 1 1/2 hours of fuel and elected to orbit the biloxi beach front. After 15 mins tower said new, 45 mi southwest had 25000' and 4 mi in haze. I headed that direction. Biloxi was tracking me on radar. As I approached mcb, biloxi tower said there were reported breaks in the overcast at mcb and suggested I attempt landing. I did so but breaks in overcast were too small. Biloxi then suggested 6r0 15 mi further west was now VFR. I flew to 6r0 with help from biloxi tower and landed west/O incident.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GA-SMA REQUIRED FLTASSIST TO GET TO AN ARPT WITH VFR WX.

Narrative: TOOK OFF FROM MOB AT XX:XX AM IN CLR SKIES. HEADED E (TO FL) FOG BANK OFF COAST AND INLAND OBSERVED WITH 3-5 MI CLR ALONG COAST. FORECAST CALLED FOR CLRING SKIES AND RISING CEILINGS. HEADED E AT 60 KTS TO PASCAGOULA. STRIP OF CLR WX WAS CLOSING IN AND GND FOG INCREASING. HEADED INLAND FOR 15 MI TO SEE IF ANY BREAKS IN FOG. SEEING NONE I RETURNED SW TO BILOXI AT 3000'. IT WAS STILL CLR ALONG THE BILOXI BEACH FRONT BUT ONLY FOR 3-4 MI. AFTER ORBITING THAT AREA FOR 20-30 MINS, I FINALLY CONTACTED BILOXI TWR TO ASK FOR SUGGESTIONS AS TO WHERE THERE WAS A CLR ARPT. TWR SAID SHARP IMPROVEMENT EXPECTED IN 45 MINS. I HAD 1 1/2 HRS OF FUEL AND ELECTED TO ORBIT THE BILOXI BEACH FRONT. AFTER 15 MINS TWR SAID NEW, 45 MI SW HAD 25000' AND 4 MI IN HAZE. I HEADED THAT DIRECTION. BILOXI WAS TRACKING ME ON RADAR. AS I APCHED MCB, BILOXI TWR SAID THERE WERE RPTED BREAKS IN THE OVERCAST AT MCB AND SUGGESTED I ATTEMPT LNDG. I DID SO BUT BREAKS IN OVERCAST WERE TOO SMALL. BILOXI THEN SUGGESTED 6R0 15 MI FURTHER W WAS NOW VFR. I FLEW TO 6R0 WITH HELP FROM BILOXI TWR AND LANDED W/O INCIDENT.

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.