Small aircraft on VFR flight enters IMC.

Attributes
ACN	141010
Time
Date	199003
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : pub
State Reference	CO
Altitude	msl bound lower : 6500 msl bound upper : 6500
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : cos tower : pub
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 20 flight time total : 1200 flight time type : 450
ASRS Report	141010
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : vfr in imc non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Departed oov in good VFR conditions, destination publication. Publication reported VFR but is at lower altitude than oov. Conditions became marginal as I got closer to publication but was able to maintain VFR by descending. Was receiving advisories from cos. After being turned over to publication, got radar vector that got me into poorer conditions. Tried to turn around but could not find a VFR path out. Told publication I wanted to return to cos and got turned over to cos approach. Requested IFR to on top but entered IMC before getting clearance. Judged this safest action as too low for obstacle avoidance and below MEA for publication-cos so low conflict possibility. Got IFR to on top and completed flight with ILS approach to cos. Did not have IFR charts in airplane so chose not to get approach to publication. Have cos approachs memorized so comfortable at cos. Should have turned back sooner when apparent situation worsened. VFR good report on publication made me think just local condition I could fly through. May have been able to stay VMC by descending more but decided not to.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA ON VFR FLT ENTERS IMC.

Narrative: DEPARTED OOV IN GOOD VFR CONDITIONS, DEST PUB. PUB RPTED VFR BUT IS AT LOWER ALT THAN OOV. CONDITIONS BECAME MARGINAL AS I GOT CLOSER TO PUB BUT WAS ABLE TO MAINTAIN VFR BY DSNDING. WAS RECEIVING ADVISORIES FROM COS. AFTER BEING TURNED OVER TO PUB, GOT RADAR VECTOR THAT GOT ME INTO POORER CONDITIONS. TRIED TO TURN AROUND BUT COULD NOT FIND A VFR PATH OUT. TOLD PUB I WANTED TO RETURN TO COS AND GOT TURNED OVER TO COS APCH. REQUESTED IFR TO ON TOP BUT ENTERED IMC BEFORE GETTING CLRNC. JUDGED THIS SAFEST ACTION AS TOO LOW FOR OBSTACLE AVOIDANCE AND BELOW MEA FOR PUB-COS SO LOW CONFLICT POSSIBILITY. GOT IFR TO ON TOP AND COMPLETED FLT WITH ILS APCH TO COS. DID NOT HAVE IFR CHARTS IN AIRPLANE SO CHOSE NOT TO GET APCH TO PUB. HAVE COS APCHS MEMORIZED SO COMFORTABLE AT COS. SHOULD HAVE TURNED BACK SOONER WHEN APPARENT SITUATION WORSENED. VFR GOOD RPT ON PUB MADE ME THINK JUST LCL CONDITION I COULD FLY THROUGH. MAY HAVE BEEN ABLE TO STAY VMC BY DSNDING MORE BUT DECIDED NOT TO.

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.