Narrative:

The incident occurred while I was attempting to complete my second solo cross country flight. I was en route from great falls, mt to cut bank, mt. The WX forecast was clear with 45 mi visibility for great falls and vicinity. The morning WX for cut bank was not available at the time I filed my flight plan. When I opened my flight plan en route I requested the WX for cut bank but I received no response. Since the extended forecast for the state was clear with 45 mi or better visibility, I decided to wait until I was in range of cut bank FSS and contact them for current conditions. As I approached the cut bank airport 20 mi out I noticed a localized cloud cover in the vicinity of the airport. I attempted to contact FSS at cut bank airport but received no response. I continued my attempts to communicate so I descended to pattern altitude and discovered that I could be just below the clouds at pattern altitude. I then discovered that I was using an incorrect frequency for FSS. I switched to the appropriate frequency but by the time I reached the FSS I was near the end of runway 31. The FSS attendant reminded me that it was IFR only and asked if I wanted special clearance. I requested the special permission and cleared the area of cloud cover until I received clearance. I subsequently landed, shut down the airplane and talked with the FSS who then told me that the temporary cloud cover was not in the forecast and had formed within the last 30 mins. I was on the ground about 20 mins and the cloud cover had completely dissipated. VFR conditions then held and I departed in normal fashion. This was a great learning situation for me. First, I shall doublechk frequencys when I did not get a response within a reasonable amount of time. Secondly, I will remain completely clear of all cloud cover surrounding an airport until I have made contact with FSS.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SPI ON SOLO CROSS COUNTRY ENCOUNTERS LOCALIZED WX. PENETRATED CTL ZONE.

Narrative: THE INCIDENT OCCURRED WHILE I WAS ATTEMPTING TO COMPLETE MY SECOND SOLO CROSS COUNTRY FLT. I WAS ENRTE FROM GREAT FALLS, MT TO CUT BANK, MT. THE WX FORECAST WAS CLR WITH 45 MI VISIBILITY FOR GREAT FALLS AND VICINITY. THE MORNING WX FOR CUT BANK WAS NOT AVAILABLE AT THE TIME I FILED MY FLT PLAN. WHEN I OPENED MY FLT PLAN ENRTE I REQUESTED THE WX FOR CUT BANK BUT I RECEIVED NO RESPONSE. SINCE THE EXTENDED FORECAST FOR THE STATE WAS CLR WITH 45 MI OR BETTER VISIBILITY, I DECIDED TO WAIT UNTIL I WAS IN RANGE OF CUT BANK FSS AND CONTACT THEM FOR CURRENT CONDITIONS. AS I APCHED THE CUT BANK ARPT 20 MI OUT I NOTICED A LOCALIZED CLOUD COVER IN THE VICINITY OF THE ARPT. I ATTEMPTED TO CONTACT FSS AT CUT BANK ARPT BUT RECEIVED NO RESPONSE. I CONTINUED MY ATTEMPTS TO COMMUNICATE SO I DSNDED TO PATTERN ALT AND DISCOVERED THAT I COULD BE JUST BELOW THE CLOUDS AT PATTERN ALT. I THEN DISCOVERED THAT I WAS USING AN INCORRECT FREQ FOR FSS. I SWITCHED TO THE APPROPRIATE FREQ BUT BY THE TIME I REACHED THE FSS I WAS NEAR THE END OF RWY 31. THE FSS ATTENDANT REMINDED ME THAT IT WAS IFR ONLY AND ASKED IF I WANTED SPECIAL CLRNC. I REQUESTED THE SPECIAL PERMISSION AND CLRED THE AREA OF CLOUD COVER UNTIL I RECEIVED CLRNC. I SUBSEQUENTLY LANDED, SHUT DOWN THE AIRPLANE AND TALKED WITH THE FSS WHO THEN TOLD ME THAT THE TEMPORARY CLOUD COVER WAS NOT IN THE FORECAST AND HAD FORMED WITHIN THE LAST 30 MINS. I WAS ON THE GND ABOUT 20 MINS AND THE CLOUD COVER HAD COMPLETELY DISSIPATED. VFR CONDITIONS THEN HELD AND I DEPARTED IN NORMAL FASHION. THIS WAS A GREAT LEARNING SITUATION FOR ME. FIRST, I SHALL DOUBLECHK FREQS WHEN I DID NOT GET A RESPONSE WITHIN A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME. SECONDLY, I WILL REMAIN COMPLETELY CLR OF ALL CLOUD COVER SURROUNDING AN ARPT UNTIL I HAVE MADE CONTACT WITH FSS.

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.