Error admitted by small aircraft private pilot when pilot planning preflight was inadequate to preve...

Attributes
ACN	182998
Time
Date	199107
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : btr
State Reference	LA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3500 msl bound upper : 3500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	military facility : aex
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft
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 : 15 flight time total : 149 flight time type : 39
ASRS Report	182998
Person 2
Affiliation	government : military
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : weather inflight encounter : vfr in imc non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : became reoriented other
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

The problem started with inadequate preflight planning (checking sunset times and allowing enough time to go to alternate airport if destination was IFR). 'Get-there-itis' probably contributed as I did want to leave earlier. 30 mi from our destination, suddenly west/O warning a cloud lit up with lightning and we went into a cloud. We immediately did a 180 degree back to alexandria. By that time it was dusk and there was about 80 mi of low population ctrs with visibility of about 7 mi. Flight watch helped to get me to center whom I could never contact. Finally spotted alexandria and england AFB gave me a heading to esler regional field. At dusk, I began to get a feeling of urgency. I did the right thing by turning around and talking with someone. I misspoke to flight watch telling them I was east of baton rouge instead of west so I never did contact center. What will I do? I'm getting some instruction on flight planning and frequencys and I'll never leave again unless I will arrive at my destination with over an hour before sunset.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ERROR ADMITTED BY SMA PRIVATE PLT WHEN PLT PLANNING PREFLT WAS INADEQUATE TO PREVENT IMC IN VFR OPERATION, ENDING UP WITH A FLT ASSIST FROM A MIL FAC.

Narrative: THE PROB STARTED WITH INADEQUATE PREFLT PLANNING (CHKING SUNSET TIMES AND ALLOWING ENOUGH TIME TO GO TO ALTERNATE ARPT IF DEST WAS IFR). 'GET-THERE-ITIS' PROBABLY CONTRIBUTED AS I DID WANT TO LEAVE EARLIER. 30 MI FROM OUR DEST, SUDDENLY W/O WARNING A CLOUD LIT UP WITH LIGHTNING AND WE WENT INTO A CLOUD. WE IMMEDIATELY DID A 180 DEG BACK TO ALEXANDRIA. BY THAT TIME IT WAS DUSK AND THERE WAS ABOUT 80 MI OF LOW POPULATION CTRS WITH VISIBILITY OF ABOUT 7 MI. FLT WATCH HELPED TO GET ME TO CTR WHOM I COULD NEVER CONTACT. FINALLY SPOTTED ALEXANDRIA AND ENGLAND AFB GAVE ME A HDG TO ESLER REGIONAL FIELD. AT DUSK, I BEGAN TO GET A FEELING OF URGENCY. I DID THE RIGHT THING BY TURNING AROUND AND TALKING WITH SOMEONE. I MISSPOKE TO FLT WATCH TELLING THEM I WAS E OF BATON ROUGE INSTEAD OF W SO I NEVER DID CONTACT CTR. WHAT WILL I DO? I'M GETTING SOME INSTRUCTION ON FLT PLANNING AND FREQS AND I'LL NEVER LEAVE AGAIN UNLESS I WILL ARRIVE AT MY DEST WITH OVER AN HR BEFORE SUNSET.

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.

Error admitted by small aircraft private pilot when pilot planning preflight was inadequate to prevent IMC in VFR operation, ending up with a flight assist from a military facility.