Unable to land due to mdw WX, reporter is vectored to frankfort airport.

Attributes
ACN	169733
Time
Date	199102
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : mdw airport : c18
State Reference	IL
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2000 msl bound upper : 2000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : ord
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other descent : approach other
Route In Use	approach : visual
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 28 flight time total : 98 flight time type : 98
ASRS Report	169733
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : weather inflight encounter : vfr in imc
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : provided flight assist controller : issued new clearance flight crew : exited adverse environment flight crew : declared emergency other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Weather

Narrative:

I was on a VFR x-country flight from mdw to lafayette and back to mdw. Visibility was 3 mi. The flight was smooth in both directions under VFR conditions. I contacted mdw radar at the chicago heights VOR (19 mi southeast of the field). Mdw radar gave me a heading and altitude was at or below 2000'. At close to 9 mi from mdw conditions became hazy with decreased visibility, but still VFR. As I progressed to mdw, I was asked to stay in a holding pattern for approximately 10 mins. After that I was given a heading; however, in just that short time visibility due to haze diminished rapidly. I was asked if I was IFR rated and if the aircraft was IFR rated. I replied negative. They granted me a SVFR (which I remembered later I should not have been granted since it was at night and I was not INS rated). They tried to give me 2 visibility approachs from 2000', but I could not verify the runway. After the 2 visuals, the controller gave me headings to howell airport in frankfort, il, where I had come from since the WX and visibility there (southeast) was fine when I flew through, and the visibility did not suddenly drop as had mdw's. I landed at howell and contacted mdw and thanked them for their assistance. The controller was excellent! According to mdw, the flight conditions were unexpected and the decreased visibility came over the field in an incredibly short period of time. ATIS did not reflect IFR conditions prior to my contact with mdw radar.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: UNABLE TO LAND DUE TO MDW WX, REPORTER IS VECTORED TO FRANKFORT ARPT.

Narrative: I WAS ON A VFR X-COUNTRY FLT FROM MDW TO LAFAYETTE AND BACK TO MDW. VISIBILITY WAS 3 MI. THE FLT WAS SMOOTH IN BOTH DIRECTIONS UNDER VFR CONDITIONS. I CONTACTED MDW RADAR AT THE CHICAGO HEIGHTS VOR (19 MI SE OF THE FIELD). MDW RADAR GAVE ME A HDG AND ALT WAS AT OR BELOW 2000'. AT CLOSE TO 9 MI FROM MDW CONDITIONS BECAME HAZY WITH DECREASED VISIBILITY, BUT STILL VFR. AS I PROGRESSED TO MDW, I WAS ASKED TO STAY IN A HOLDING PATTERN FOR APPROX 10 MINS. AFTER THAT I WAS GIVEN A HDG; HOWEVER, IN JUST THAT SHORT TIME VISIBILITY DUE TO HAZE DIMINISHED RAPIDLY. I WAS ASKED IF I WAS IFR RATED AND IF THE ACFT WAS IFR RATED. I REPLIED NEGATIVE. THEY GRANTED ME A SVFR (WHICH I REMEMBERED LATER I SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN GRANTED SINCE IT WAS AT NIGHT AND I WAS NOT INS RATED). THEY TRIED TO GIVE ME 2 VIS APCHS FROM 2000', BUT I COULD NOT VERIFY THE RWY. AFTER THE 2 VISUALS, THE CTLR GAVE ME HDGS TO HOWELL ARPT IN FRANKFORT, IL, WHERE I HAD COME FROM SINCE THE WX AND VISIBILITY THERE (SE) WAS FINE WHEN I FLEW THROUGH, AND THE VISIBILITY DID NOT SUDDENLY DROP AS HAD MDW'S. I LANDED AT HOWELL AND CONTACTED MDW AND THANKED THEM FOR THEIR ASSISTANCE. THE CTLR WAS EXCELLENT! ACCORDING TO MDW, THE FLT CONDITIONS WERE UNEXPECTED AND THE DECREASED VISIBILITY CAME OVER THE FIELD IN AN INCREDIBLY SHORT PERIOD OF TIME. ATIS DID NOT REFLECT IFR CONDITIONS PRIOR TO MY CONTACT WITH MDW RADAR.

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.