Small aircraft pilot flies into cloud, does a 180 degree turn back out.

Attributes
ACN	179405
Time
Date	199105
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : gyy
State Reference	IN
Altitude	msl bound lower : 1500 msl bound upper : 2500
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 18 flight time total : 117 flight time type : 48
ASRS Report	179405
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	other personnel other
Qualification	other
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : vfr in imc inflight encounter : weather non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified cockpit
Resolutory Action	flight crew : became reoriented none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

My flight from pwk to osu (VFR) started with many checks of the WX through FSS voice and duats on-line. The morning called for VFR for the route after am local, the return for VFR, but IFR in the afternoon. Visibility turned out to be about 4 mi in fog and haze until the gary, in area. Unbeknown to me, a stage 4 thunderstorm had developed further east. After I had turned east, the visibility dropped to less than 3 mi. I lowered my altitude to 1500' MSL (from 2500') and the visibility increased to about 4 mi. Few mins later I flew into clouds with less than 1/4 mi visibility. With the haze, I couldn't discern the cloud from the lower visibility until I was almost (less than 1/10 mi) within the cloud. I began a timed turn (at standard rate) to get out at 180 degrees from entry heading. At the same time, I called gary tower to advise I was inbound for landing. They had gone IFR shortly before. I broke out and headed south to ikk as advised by flight watch. I landed to receive an updated flight briefing at the FSS. I continued with no further problems. I'm sure that the training for my private included timed turns. I'm glad. I didn't panic since I had just started my instrument training and timed turns were the first subject. I'm sorry that I didn't have access to free WX maps that morning. They would have helped.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA PLT FLIES INTO CLOUD, DOES A 180 DEGREE TURN BACK OUT.

Narrative: MY FLT FROM PWK TO OSU (VFR) STARTED WITH MANY CHKS OF THE WX THROUGH FSS VOICE AND DUATS ON-LINE. THE MORNING CALLED FOR VFR FOR THE RTE AFTER AM LCL, THE RETURN FOR VFR, BUT IFR IN THE AFTERNOON. VISIBILITY TURNED OUT TO BE ABOUT 4 MI IN FOG AND HAZE UNTIL THE GARY, IN AREA. UNBEKNOWN TO ME, A STAGE 4 TSTM HAD DEVELOPED FURTHER E. AFTER I HAD TURNED E, THE VISIBILITY DROPPED TO LESS THAN 3 MI. I LOWERED MY ALT TO 1500' MSL (FROM 2500') AND THE VISIBILITY INCREASED TO ABOUT 4 MI. FEW MINS LATER I FLEW INTO CLOUDS WITH LESS THAN 1/4 MI VISIBILITY. WITH THE HAZE, I COULDN'T DISCERN THE CLOUD FROM THE LOWER VISIBILITY UNTIL I WAS ALMOST (LESS THAN 1/10 MI) WITHIN THE CLOUD. I BEGAN A TIMED TURN (AT STANDARD RATE) TO GET OUT AT 180 DEGS FROM ENTRY HDG. AT THE SAME TIME, I CALLED GARY TWR TO ADVISE I WAS INBND FOR LNDG. THEY HAD GONE IFR SHORTLY BEFORE. I BROKE OUT AND HEADED S TO IKK AS ADVISED BY FLT WATCH. I LANDED TO RECEIVE AN UPDATED FLT BRIEFING AT THE FSS. I CONTINUED WITH NO FURTHER PROBS. I'M SURE THAT THE TRNING FOR MY PVT INCLUDED TIMED TURNS. I'M GLAD. I DIDN'T PANIC SINCE I HAD JUST STARTED MY INSTRUMENT TRNING AND TIMED TURNS WERE THE FIRST SUBJECT. I'M SORRY THAT I DIDN'T HAVE ACCESS TO FREE WX MAPS THAT MORNING. THEY WOULD HAVE HELPED.

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.