New pilot encounters WX in flight, enters IMC and requires ATC save.

Attributes
ACN	144485
Time
Date	199004
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0001 To 0600
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : nid
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 10500 msl bound upper : 14400
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Dawn
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : lax
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other ground : preflight other
Route In Use	enroute other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 65 flight time total : 65 flight time type : 65
ASRS Report	144485
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 flight crew : declared emergency flight crew : became reoriented flight crew : exited adverse environment other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I am a new private pilot. Left bakersfield for las vegas having gotten FSS WX briefing. Learned in the predawn that the clouds were not 'light to broken', and were not at 12000' to 15000', they were lower. The WX closed in completely after 30 mins; 8500' with mountains below. Couldn't climb out of clouds, got to 14400' MSL and worried about hypoxia, turbulence, aircraft couldn't go higher. Couldn't descend below 10500' MSL for fear of terrain. Tried to fly my LORAN out toward las vegas, but was essentially chasing the bearing in circles, should have flown via dg/VOR. Pitot froze, lost airspeed indicator. Feared losing altimeter and rate of climb gauges. Saw sleet in wingtip strobe flashes. Feared icing. Declared 'emergency' on frequency 121.5, squawked 7700 mode C. La TRACON fixed my position 2 mi west inyokern airport, and handed me to edwards AFB RAPCON, which vectored me southeast and followed my descent to 9500' MSL where I could re-establish VFR. Vectored around restr airspace VFR to las vegas uneventfully. Called TRACON and RAPCON to thank them for their help and wrote confirming letters of thanks. They may have saved my life. Things I did wrong. Wasn't cautious enough near clouds with terrain I couldn't see well in the pre-dawn. Didn't have enough regard for developing WX. Didn't turn on pitot heat. Didn't fly via dg and tried to chase LORAN bearing. Assumed from WX report, that I could do fine flying VFR around pretty clouds. Things I did right. Had hired an instrument who gave me a lot of 'hood' time. Used carburetor heat early. Flew the airplane well, west/O panic, though it was scary. Called for help before possible catastrophe. I learned a helluva lot from the experience.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: NEW PLT ENCOUNTERS WX IN FLIGHT, ENTERS IMC AND REQUIRES ATC SAVE.

Narrative: I AM A NEW PRIVATE PLT. LEFT BAKERSFIELD FOR LAS VEGAS HAVING GOTTEN FSS WX BRIEFING. LEARNED IN THE PREDAWN THAT THE CLOUDS WERE NOT 'LIGHT TO BROKEN', AND WERE NOT AT 12000' TO 15000', THEY WERE LOWER. THE WX CLOSED IN COMPLETELY AFTER 30 MINS; 8500' WITH MOUNTAINS BELOW. COULDN'T CLB OUT OF CLOUDS, GOT TO 14400' MSL AND WORRIED ABOUT HYPOXIA, TURB, ACFT COULDN'T GO HIGHER. COULDN'T DSND BELOW 10500' MSL FOR FEAR OF TERRAIN. TRIED TO FLY MY LORAN OUT TOWARD LAS VEGAS, BUT WAS ESSENTIALLY CHASING THE BEARING IN CIRCLES, SHOULD HAVE FLOWN VIA DG/VOR. PITOT FROZE, LOST AIRSPD INDICATOR. FEARED LOSING ALTIMETER AND RATE OF CLB GAUGES. SAW SLEET IN WINGTIP STROBE FLASHES. FEARED ICING. DECLARED 'EMER' ON FREQ 121.5, SQUAWKED 7700 MODE C. LA TRACON FIXED MY POS 2 MI W INYOKERN ARPT, AND HANDED ME TO EDWARDS AFB RAPCON, WHICH VECTORED ME SE AND FOLLOWED MY DSNT TO 9500' MSL WHERE I COULD RE-ESTABLISH VFR. VECTORED AROUND RESTR AIRSPACE VFR TO LAS VEGAS UNEVENTFULLY. CALLED TRACON AND RAPCON TO THANK THEM FOR THEIR HELP AND WROTE CONFIRMING LETTERS OF THANKS. THEY MAY HAVE SAVED MY LIFE. THINGS I DID WRONG. WASN'T CAUTIOUS ENOUGH NEAR CLOUDS WITH TERRAIN I COULDN'T SEE WELL IN THE PRE-DAWN. DIDN'T HAVE ENOUGH REGARD FOR DEVELOPING WX. DIDN'T TURN ON PITOT HEAT. DIDN'T FLY VIA DG AND TRIED TO CHASE LORAN BEARING. ASSUMED FROM WX RPT, THAT I COULD DO FINE FLYING VFR AROUND PRETTY CLOUDS. THINGS I DID RIGHT. HAD HIRED AN INSTR WHO GAVE ME A LOT OF 'HOOD' TIME. USED CARB HEAT EARLY. FLEW THE AIRPLANE WELL, W/O PANIC, THOUGH IT WAS SCARY. CALLED FOR HELP BEFORE POSSIBLE CATASTROPHE. I LEARNED A HELLUVA LOT FROM THE EXPERIENCE.

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.