Small aircraft pilot enters control zone without clearance as WX deteriorates.

Attributes
ACN	169625
Time
Date	199102
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : tix
State Reference	FL
Altitude	agl bound lower : 1000 agl bound upper : 1200
Environment
Flight Conditions	Marginal
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : cof
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft
Flight Phase	cruise other descent other landing 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 : 500 flight time type : 40
ASRS Report	169625
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : weather inflight encounter : vfr in imc non adherence : far other anomaly other
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:

Departed bct en route mmu via fuel stop chs. WX briefing 1 hour prior to departure was for 1500-2000' scattered to broken in northern fla with clear north of jax. Departed bct approximately am (feb 1991) contacted palm beach approach and stayed in radio contact through (and including) patrick AFB tower. Ceilings down to 1000-1200'. Leaving patrick tower requested frequency for patrick approach which I got. Tried to call them to no avail. Ceiling began to drop and rain began. Noted crossing airport, did not know frequency so called unicom in hope to raise them which I did. Tix replied and I had uneventful landing. Tix is in control zone and technically I should have contacted them for clearance prior to entry into zone however, I was busy flying airplane in rapidly deteriorating WX and trying to raise patrick approach. I am not IFR certified but working on it currently.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA PLT ENTERS CTL ZONE WITHOUT CLRNC AS WX DETERIORATES.

Narrative: DEPARTED BCT ENRTE MMU VIA FUEL STOP CHS. WX BRIEFING 1 HR PRIOR TO DEP WAS FOR 1500-2000' SCATTERED TO BROKEN IN NORTHERN FLA WITH CLR N OF JAX. DEPARTED BCT APPROX AM (FEB 1991) CONTACTED PALM BEACH APCH AND STAYED IN RADIO CONTACT THROUGH (AND INCLUDING) PATRICK AFB TWR. CEILINGS DOWN TO 1000-1200'. LEAVING PATRICK TWR REQUESTED FREQ FOR PATRICK APCH WHICH I GOT. TRIED TO CALL THEM TO NO AVAIL. CEILING BEGAN TO DROP AND RAIN BEGAN. NOTED XING ARPT, DID NOT KNOW FREQ SO CALLED UNICOM IN HOPE TO RAISE THEM WHICH I DID. TIX REPLIED AND I HAD UNEVENTFUL LNDG. TIX IS IN CTL ZONE AND TECHNICALLY I SHOULD HAVE CONTACTED THEM FOR CLRNC PRIOR TO ENTRY INTO ZONE HOWEVER, I WAS BUSY FLYING AIRPLANE IN RAPIDLY DETERIORATING WX AND TRYING TO RAISE PATRICK APCH. I AM NOT IFR CERTIFIED BUT WORKING ON IT CURRENTLY.

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.