Narrative:

WX at and around 1g3 had been VFR all day with a slow moving cold front advancing. I had flown earlier in the day and had contacted cle FSS before making that initial flight. Before flying that night, I had listened to cak's ATIS and spoken with some pilots who had recently flown. It appeared to be VFR at xxz however, I neglected to call FSS for a briefing. Upon climb out, at about 650' AGL, I found myself in IMC. At that time I intended to initiate a left-hand descent to re-enter 1g3's pattern. I was unable, however, to maintain any visibility reference with the ground and I apparently overflew the airport. Because I was not sure of my exact location, I then contacted unicom at 1g3 for assistance. Still in IMC, it was determined that I was 3 mi southwest of 1g3. Knowing that cak was VFR, I contacted cak approach, who had already been informed of my situation through unicom at 1g3, and was initially given vectors to 1g3 and, at my request, vectors to cak. The controller asked me to climb to 3000' MSL and turn to and maintain a heading of 210 degrees. At approximately 8 mi north of cak, I broke out of IMC. I had flown in INS conditions for about 10 mins. I was then given vectors to enter a right downwind for runway 01. I landed, west/O incident, cak. Several factors led to the predicament I found myself in first and foremost, I neglected to obtain a thorough WX briefing prior to departure as stated in far 91.103. Second, I failed to maintain cloud clrncs (VFR) as specified in far 91.155. Third, I flew IFR west/O an INS rating and west/O having an IFR flight plan. Any far's that were broken were done so as a direct result of having failed to obtain a thorough WX briefing.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA PLT FLIES INTO IMC, RECEIVES FLT ASSIST TO VMC AND LNDG.

Narrative: WX AT AND AROUND 1G3 HAD BEEN VFR ALL DAY WITH A SLOW MOVING COLD FRONT ADVANCING. I HAD FLOWN EARLIER IN THE DAY AND HAD CONTACTED CLE FSS BEFORE MAKING THAT INITIAL FLT. BEFORE FLYING THAT NIGHT, I HAD LISTENED TO CAK'S ATIS AND SPOKEN WITH SOME PLTS WHO HAD RECENTLY FLOWN. IT APPEARED TO BE VFR AT XXZ HOWEVER, I NEGLECTED TO CALL FSS FOR A BRIEFING. UPON CLBOUT, AT ABOUT 650' AGL, I FOUND MYSELF IN IMC. AT THAT TIME I INTENDED TO INITIATE A LEFT-HAND DSNT TO RE-ENTER 1G3'S PATTERN. I WAS UNABLE, HOWEVER, TO MAINTAIN ANY VIS REF WITH THE GND AND I APPARENTLY OVERFLEW THE ARPT. BECAUSE I WAS NOT SURE OF MY EXACT LOCATION, I THEN CONTACTED UNICOM AT 1G3 FOR ASSISTANCE. STILL IN IMC, IT WAS DETERMINED THAT I WAS 3 MI SW OF 1G3. KNOWING THAT CAK WAS VFR, I CONTACTED CAK APCH, WHO HAD ALREADY BEEN INFORMED OF MY SITUATION THROUGH UNICOM AT 1G3, AND WAS INITIALLY GIVEN VECTORS TO 1G3 AND, AT MY REQUEST, VECTORS TO CAK. THE CTLR ASKED ME TO CLB TO 3000' MSL AND TURN TO AND MAINTAIN A HDG OF 210 DEGS. AT APPROX 8 MI N OF CAK, I BROKE OUT OF IMC. I HAD FLOWN IN INS CONDITIONS FOR ABOUT 10 MINS. I WAS THEN GIVEN VECTORS TO ENTER A RIGHT DOWNWIND FOR RWY 01. I LANDED, W/O INCIDENT, CAK. SEVERAL FACTORS LED TO THE PREDICAMENT I FOUND MYSELF IN FIRST AND FOREMOST, I NEGLECTED TO OBTAIN A THOROUGH WX BRIEFING PRIOR TO DEP AS STATED IN FAR 91.103. SECOND, I FAILED TO MAINTAIN CLOUD CLRNCS (VFR) AS SPECIFIED IN FAR 91.155. THIRD, I FLEW IFR W/O AN INS RATING AND W/O HAVING AN IFR FLT PLAN. ANY FAR'S THAT WERE BROKEN WERE DONE SO AS A DIRECT RESULT OF HAVING FAILED TO OBTAIN A THOROUGH WX BRIEFING.

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.