Small aircraft pilot enters IMC. Requires flight assist.

Attributes
ACN	172894
Time
Date	199103
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : fot
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 7000 msl bound upper : 10500
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zse
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 32 flight time total : 123 flight time type : 100
ASRS Report	172894
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : weather inflight encounter : vfr in imc non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : provided flight assist controller : issued new clearance other other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Flying between sql and acv, I left more than 1 hour after a VFR flight plan indicated I would. The tweb heard over sjs indicated acv was still VFR. I climbed above clouds that were en route until my altitude was 10500' AGL. It was dark by this time and a storm that was moving in from the west closed in on me and when I couldn't see the stars I knew I was in the clouds. To back up my assumption, wing tip strobes flashing (which I turned off) a pitot tube iced over. IAS was 250 mph. Pitot heat cleared that problem. When VOR antenna iced up and the CDI didn't move while rotating the course heading selector, I called arcata radio, asked for current conditions and told them my situation. Next called ZSE to see if they could find me on radar since my magnetic compass indicated I was headed approximately 270 degrees. Still too far south to be seen by ZSE's radar. I descended to 7000' AGL. Rain melted the ice and VOR CDI began to work. Opened cowl flaps, which helped melt DME antenna ice. Followed instructions from ZSE once they got me as a primary radar contact (mode C was on). Followed their directions--vectors--and came out of the clouds between fortuna and eureka. Flew VFR again to acv. Ice formed, melted and reformed many times, and at some times the only INS I felt was reliable was the magnetic compass (had to compensate approximately 30 degrees crab angle due to wind). Thank you, ZSE radar, for helping me get down. In the future, better and more current WX and less reliance on tweb.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA PLT ENTERS IMC. REQUIRES FLT ASSIST.

Narrative: FLYING BTWN SQL AND ACV, I LEFT MORE THAN 1 HR AFTER A VFR FLT PLAN INDICATED I WOULD. THE TWEB HEARD OVER SJS INDICATED ACV WAS STILL VFR. I CLBED ABOVE CLOUDS THAT WERE ENRTE UNTIL MY ALT WAS 10500' AGL. IT WAS DARK BY THIS TIME AND A STORM THAT WAS MOVING IN FROM THE W CLOSED IN ON ME AND WHEN I COULDN'T SEE THE STARS I KNEW I WAS IN THE CLOUDS. TO BACK UP MY ASSUMPTION, WING TIP STROBES FLASHING (WHICH I TURNED OFF) A PITOT TUBE ICED OVER. IAS WAS 250 MPH. PITOT HEAT CLRED THAT PROB. WHEN VOR ANTENNA ICED UP AND THE CDI DIDN'T MOVE WHILE ROTATING THE COURSE HDG SELECTOR, I CALLED ARCATA RADIO, ASKED FOR CURRENT CONDITIONS AND TOLD THEM MY SITUATION. NEXT CALLED ZSE TO SEE IF THEY COULD FIND ME ON RADAR SINCE MY MAGNETIC COMPASS INDICATED I WAS HEADED APPROX 270 DEGS. STILL TOO FAR S TO BE SEEN BY ZSE'S RADAR. I DSNDED TO 7000' AGL. RAIN MELTED THE ICE AND VOR CDI BEGAN TO WORK. OPENED COWL FLAPS, WHICH HELPED MELT DME ANTENNA ICE. FOLLOWED INSTRUCTIONS FROM ZSE ONCE THEY GOT ME AS A PRIMARY RADAR CONTACT (MODE C WAS ON). FOLLOWED THEIR DIRECTIONS--VECTORS--AND CAME OUT OF THE CLOUDS BTWN FORTUNA AND EUREKA. FLEW VFR AGAIN TO ACV. ICE FORMED, MELTED AND REFORMED MANY TIMES, AND AT SOME TIMES THE ONLY INS I FELT WAS RELIABLE WAS THE MAGNETIC COMPASS (HAD TO COMPENSATE APPROX 30 DEGS CRAB ANGLE DUE TO WIND). THANK YOU, ZSE RADAR, FOR HELPING ME GET DOWN. IN THE FUTURE, BETTER AND MORE CURRENT WX AND LESS RELIANCE ON TWEB.

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.