GA small aircraft in-flight encounter with WX. VFR in IMC.

Attributes
ACN	143207
Time
Date	199004
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : sav
State Reference	GA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 300 agl bound upper : 750
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : sav tower : las
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other descent other landing other
Route In Use	approach : visual
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 46 flight time total : 82 flight time type : 82
ASRS Report	143207
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	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I was inbound to sav at 8500'. I copied down ATIS which was reporting 2000' broken, 6 mi visibility. I contacted approach who turned me on a vector to the airport. The WX I was flying in was beautiful--25000' ceiling at least, unlimited visibility. As I descended, I saw the 2000' layer which I descended below and followed approach vectors to the airport. The ceiling dropped quickly and I had to fly SVFR minimums even though I did not request them. I told approach of the low clouds and scattered showers and was told to maintain VFR. I did the best I could, but at times was as low as 300' MSL. Luckily there were no obstructions in the area, and I confirmed this with approach. Also, there were no close calls or conflicts with other traffic. I wanted to turn around but the WX had closed in behind me and I found myself just steering clear of any and all clouds. Approach worked with me and they were terrific. I did the best I could, but as I mentioned earlier I had to drop to an illegal and unsafe altitude and did not request SVFR into sav. This was my fault, but I would have never even attempted to land at sav had ATIS been accurate. My preflight WX briefing even forecast 3500' scattered-broken. Also, when I contacted approach, I wish they had told me of the poor WX--but thanks to approach and holes in the clouds, I arrived at sav safely (a little shaken, though). Upon departure ATIS was reporting 500' ceilings and 6 mi visibility. The WX outside sav was beautiful. I called FSS to confirm. I got SVFR out of sav and continued on my way. Luckily, there were no obstructions, other traffic or any complications encountered during approach.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GA SMA INFLT ENCOUNTER WITH WX. VFR IN IMC.

Narrative: I WAS INBND TO SAV AT 8500'. I COPIED DOWN ATIS WHICH WAS RPTING 2000' BROKEN, 6 MI VISIBILITY. I CONTACTED APCH WHO TURNED ME ON A VECTOR TO THE ARPT. THE WX I WAS FLYING IN WAS BEAUTIFUL--25000' CEILING AT LEAST, UNLIMITED VISIBILITY. AS I DSNDED, I SAW THE 2000' LAYER WHICH I DSNDED BELOW AND FOLLOWED APCH VECTORS TO THE ARPT. THE CEILING DROPPED QUICKLY AND I HAD TO FLY SVFR MINIMUMS EVEN THOUGH I DID NOT REQUEST THEM. I TOLD APCH OF THE LOW CLOUDS AND SCATTERED SHOWERS AND WAS TOLD TO MAINTAIN VFR. I DID THE BEST I COULD, BUT AT TIMES WAS AS LOW AS 300' MSL. LUCKILY THERE WERE NO OBSTRUCTIONS IN THE AREA, AND I CONFIRMED THIS WITH APCH. ALSO, THERE WERE NO CLOSE CALLS OR CONFLICTS WITH OTHER TFC. I WANTED TO TURN AROUND BUT THE WX HAD CLOSED IN BEHIND ME AND I FOUND MYSELF JUST STEERING CLEAR OF ANY AND ALL CLOUDS. APCH WORKED WITH ME AND THEY WERE TERRIFIC. I DID THE BEST I COULD, BUT AS I MENTIONED EARLIER I HAD TO DROP TO AN ILLEGAL AND UNSAFE ALT AND DID NOT REQUEST SVFR INTO SAV. THIS WAS MY FAULT, BUT I WOULD HAVE NEVER EVEN ATTEMPTED TO LAND AT SAV HAD ATIS BEEN ACCURATE. MY PREFLT WX BRIEFING EVEN FORECAST 3500' SCATTERED-BROKEN. ALSO, WHEN I CONTACTED APCH, I WISH THEY HAD TOLD ME OF THE POOR WX--BUT THANKS TO APCH AND HOLES IN THE CLOUDS, I ARRIVED AT SAV SAFELY (A LITTLE SHAKEN, THOUGH). UPON DEP ATIS WAS RPTING 500' CEILINGS AND 6 MI VISIBILITY. THE WX OUTSIDE SAV WAS BEAUTIFUL. I CALLED FSS TO CONFIRM. I GOT SVFR OUT OF SAV AND CONTINUED ON MY WAY. LUCKILY, THERE WERE NO OBSTRUCTIONS, OTHER TFC OR ANY COMPLICATIONS ENCOUNTERED DURING APCH.

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.