Small aircraft, attempting SVFR gets trapped by WX and is treated as an emergency by ATC.

Attributes
ACN	143783
Time
Date	199004
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : poc
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 1400 msl bound upper : 2500
Environment
Flight Conditions	Special VFR
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : ont
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other descent other other
Route In Use	approach : svfr enroute : on vectors
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 70 flight time total : 1600 flight time type : 300
ASRS Report	143783
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : weather inflight encounter : vfr in imc non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance other
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew faa : investigated
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

*Left toa VFR for poc. Poc WX at departure was 1600 overcast 2 1/2 mi visibility. Planned on getting SVFR into poc. After short delay received SVFR clearance into czn. WX deteriorated while proceeding and had to fly lower and lower until finally below MDA for the instrument approach and unable to proceed VFR to the airport. Finally got hold of ont approach control and asked for pop-up clearance for approach into poc. Ont unable due to their low altitude. Ont treated them as an emergency and issued a pop-up clearance. ATC also informed FSDO. Reporter was asked his name by ATC and he declined. Reporter says, 'if only I had filed IFR from toa. I would not be in this mess now.'

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA, ATTEMPTING SVFR GETS TRAPPED BY WX AND IS TREATED AS AN EMERGENCY BY ATC.

Narrative: *LEFT TOA VFR FOR POC. POC WX AT DEP WAS 1600 OVERCAST 2 1/2 MI VISIBILITY. PLANNED ON GETTING SVFR INTO POC. AFTER SHORT DELAY RECEIVED SVFR CLRNC INTO CZN. WX DETERIORATED WHILE PROCEEDING AND HAD TO FLY LOWER AND LOWER UNTIL FINALLY BELOW MDA FOR THE INSTRUMENT APCH AND UNABLE TO PROCEED VFR TO THE ARPT. FINALLY GOT HOLD OF ONT APCH CTL AND ASKED FOR POP-UP CLRNC FOR APCH INTO POC. ONT UNABLE DUE TO THEIR LOW ALT. ONT TREATED THEM AS AN EMER AND ISSUED A POP-UP CLRNC. ATC ALSO INFORMED FSDO. REPORTER WAS ASKED HIS NAME BY ATC AND HE DECLINED. REPORTER SAYS, 'IF ONLY I HAD FILED IFR FROM TOA. I WOULD NOT BE IN THIS MESS NOW.'

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.