GA small aircraft required flight assist when fogged out of destination airport.

Attributes
ACN	141743
Time
Date	199003
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : bge
State Reference	GA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2500 msl bound upper : 2500
Environment
Flight Conditions	Marginal
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : vld
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other descent : approach landing other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
ASRS Report	141743
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : vfr in imc inflight encounter : weather non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : provided flight assist controller : issued new clearance flight crew : declared emergency other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

After departing home farm strip 6 NM north bainbridge, GA on a 9 NM flight to a crop-duster strip in miller county, GA. I encountered heavy fog west of flint river approximately 3 mi from home strip. Fog appeared to be moving east very rapidly. I decided to climb over the fog and do a 180 degree turn, return home. After climbing on top and doing 180 degree turn, the fog had covered my home strip. It looked much lighter to the east. As I had 3 hours fuel on board, I decided to fly over to cario or thomasville, find a hole, land and wait the fog out. Both cario and thomasville were fogged in. I called valdosta approach. They were reporting fog and drizzle 200' overcast. I flew from valdosta toward savannah. The WX appeared to be getting worse the farther east I flew. I asked for a radar surveillance approach. Into valdosta, as my fuel was getting low. I shot 2 or 3 approachs west/O obtaining visibility of the field. The controller said he would bring me into moody AFB. I landed west/O incident. They were very helpful. I obtained fuel, returned to valdosta, fueled up and returned home.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GA SMA REQUIRED FLT ASSIST WHEN FOGGED OUT OF DEST ARPT.

Narrative: AFTER DEPARTING HOME FARM STRIP 6 NM N BAINBRIDGE, GA ON A 9 NM FLT TO A CROP-DUSTER STRIP IN MILLER COUNTY, GA. I ENCOUNTERED HEAVY FOG W OF FLINT RIVER APPROX 3 MI FROM HOME STRIP. FOG APPEARED TO BE MOVING E VERY RAPIDLY. I DECIDED TO CLB OVER THE FOG AND DO A 180 DEG TURN, RETURN HOME. AFTER CLBING ON TOP AND DOING 180 DEG TURN, THE FOG HAD COVERED MY HOME STRIP. IT LOOKED MUCH LIGHTER TO THE E. AS I HAD 3 HRS FUEL ON BOARD, I DECIDED TO FLY OVER TO CARIO OR THOMASVILLE, FIND A HOLE, LAND AND WAIT THE FOG OUT. BOTH CARIO AND THOMASVILLE WERE FOGGED IN. I CALLED VALDOSTA APCH. THEY WERE RPTING FOG AND DRIZZLE 200' OVCST. I FLEW FROM VALDOSTA TOWARD SAVANNAH. THE WX APPEARED TO BE GETTING WORSE THE FARTHER E I FLEW. I ASKED FOR A RADAR SURVEILLANCE APCH. INTO VALDOSTA, AS MY FUEL WAS GETTING LOW. I SHOT 2 OR 3 APCHS W/O OBTAINING VIS OF THE FIELD. THE CTLR SAID HE WOULD BRING ME INTO MOODY AFB. I LANDED W/O INCIDENT. THEY WERE VERY HELPFUL. I OBTAINED FUEL, RETURNED TO VALDOSTA, FUELED UP AND RETURNED HOME.

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.