Narrative:

Flew into low clouds at night on flight from poc to cbl. Was looking for montclair plaza report point for 45 degree entry into cgl uncontrolled airport. For the short time I was checking landmark we flew into low clouds. Didn't see clouds and the visibility was 10 mi, and otherwise a clear night. I did not want to violate ont's area at the time, since we were close to the border and I chose to declare emergency and to quickly get a heading out of clouds, back to brackett. Ont approach gave me heading to brackett and we were VFR for a few mins, then back into clouds. Ont then gave us heading to chino airport, where we landed. Entire incident lasted only for a short time.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GA SMT VFR IN IMC. EMERGENCY DECLARED.

Narrative: FLEW INTO LOW CLOUDS AT NIGHT ON FLT FROM POC TO CBL. WAS LOOKING FOR MONTCLAIR PLAZA RPT POINT FOR 45 DEG ENTRY INTO CGL UNCONTROLLED ARPT. FOR THE SHORT TIME I WAS CHKING LANDMARK WE FLEW INTO LOW CLOUDS. DIDN'T SEE CLOUDS AND THE VISIBILITY WAS 10 MI, AND OTHERWISE A CLEAR NIGHT. I DID NOT WANT TO VIOLATE ONT'S AREA AT THE TIME, SINCE WE WERE CLOSE TO THE BORDER AND I CHOSE TO DECLARE EMER AND TO QUICKLY GET A HDG OUT OF CLOUDS, BACK TO BRACKETT. ONT APCH GAVE ME HDG TO BRACKETT AND WE WERE VFR FOR A FEW MINS, THEN BACK INTO CLOUDS. ONT THEN GAVE US HDG TO CHINO ARPT, WHERE WE LANDED. ENTIRE INCIDENT LASTED ONLY FOR A SHORT TIME.

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.