GA small aircraft pilot declared an emergency when clearance was too slow in being issued.

Attributes
ACN	144009
Time
Date	199003
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : gck
State Reference	KS
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3500 msl bound upper : 3500
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zkc
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other landing other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 30 flight time total : 4000 flight time type : 530
ASRS Report	144009
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : weather non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

Declared an emergency to get into a control zone, and discovered after IFR flight that I did not have 6 months recent experience. Took off from lakin, ks VFR, WX reported at gck was 1000' ceiling and 5+ mi visibility. Slow in getting clearance, so requested emergency to land in control zone at gck. There was a possible hazard of collision at night at 500' with an antenna.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GA SMA PLT DECLARED AN EMERGENCY WHEN CLRNC WAS TOO SLOW IN BEING ISSUED.

Narrative: DECLARED AN EMER TO GET INTO A CTL ZONE, AND DISCOVERED AFTER IFR FLT THAT I DID NOT HAVE 6 MONTHS RECENT EXPERIENCE. TOOK OFF FROM LAKIN, KS VFR, WX RPTED AT GCK WAS 1000' CEILING AND 5+ MI VISIBILITY. SLOW IN GETTING CLRNC, SO REQUESTED EMER TO LAND IN CTL ZONE AT GCK. THERE WAS A POSSIBLE HAZARD OF COLLISION AT NIGHT AT 500' WITH AN ANTENNA.

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.