Narrative:

Approximately XY30 am sun shining on airport, sky visible, noticed small patches of thin layered fog in distance off airport. Plan was to fly in pattern for 1/2 to 1 hour touch and goes. After departing on runway 32, runway heading to 1000 ft noticed fog more dense than expected in distance. Made decision to land and try another day. All this time airport was completely visible also statesboro all the time VFR. Another airplane radioed trying to raise unicom to no avail. On his second attempt I answered. His request was for WX whereupon I advised runways were clear with ground fog in the area. I tried to establish contact with him to find out position. I could not and proceeded to announce my intentions to land. A min later his voice came over radio announcing a localizer approach. At this point I diverted to the right and held over statesboro. After 10 or 15 mins had passed, I tried to find out if he was clear. I could not get anyone to communication. I returned to statesboro airport only to find out that fog had all but covered runway. I remained VFR over fog for about 1/2 hour. Eventually called savannah and went there. VFR conditions existed at savannah. This experience has taught me to file IFR. If I ever get in a situation similar I will immediately file IFR flight plan. It seems to me that pilots landing at a small uncontrolled field should ask about traffic. He was apparently in IFR conditions or was on IFR flight plan. At the time I was on downwind 32 the runway was clear but obviously deteriorated quickly. Regardless, savannah tower's perception was that I was in WX conditions other than VFR.

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT PRACTICING TOUCH AND GOES DECIDES FOG IS MOVING IN TOO CLOSE. GIVES WAY TO IFR TFC THEN MUST DIVERT DUE TO ARPT IFR.

Narrative: APPROX XY30 AM SUN SHINING ON ARPT, SKY VISIBLE, NOTICED SMALL PATCHES OF THIN LAYERED FOG IN DISTANCE OFF ARPT. PLAN WAS TO FLY IN PATTERN FOR 1/2 TO 1 HR TOUCH AND GOES. AFTER DEPARTING ON RWY 32, RWY HDG TO 1000 FT NOTICED FOG MORE DENSE THAN EXPECTED IN DISTANCE. MADE DECISION TO LAND AND TRY ANOTHER DAY. ALL THIS TIME ARPT WAS COMPLETELY VISIBLE ALSO STATESBORO ALL THE TIME VFR. ANOTHER AIRPLANE RADIOED TRYING TO RAISE UNICOM TO NO AVAIL. ON HIS SECOND ATTEMPT I ANSWERED. HIS REQUEST WAS FOR WX WHEREUPON I ADVISED RWYS WERE CLR WITH GND FOG IN THE AREA. I TRIED TO ESTABLISH CONTACT WITH HIM TO FIND OUT POS. I COULD NOT AND PROCEEDED TO ANNOUNCE MY INTENTIONS TO LAND. A MIN LATER HIS VOICE CAME OVER RADIO ANNOUNCING A LOC APCH. AT THIS POINT I DIVERTED TO THE R AND HELD OVER STATESBORO. AFTER 10 OR 15 MINS HAD PASSED, I TRIED TO FIND OUT IF HE WAS CLR. I COULD NOT GET ANYONE TO COM. I RETURNED TO STATESBORO ARPT ONLY TO FIND OUT THAT FOG HAD ALL BUT COVERED RWY. I REMAINED VFR OVER FOG FOR ABOUT 1/2 HR. EVENTUALLY CALLED SAVANNAH AND WENT THERE. VFR CONDITIONS EXISTED AT SAVANNAH. THIS EXPERIENCE HAS TAUGHT ME TO FILE IFR. IF I EVER GET IN A SITUATION SIMILAR I WILL IMMEDIATELY FILE IFR FLT PLAN. IT SEEMS TO ME THAT PLTS LNDG AT A SMALL UNCTLED FIELD SHOULD ASK ABOUT TFC. HE WAS APPARENTLY IN IFR CONDITIONS OR WAS ON IFR FLT PLAN. AT THE TIME I WAS ON DOWNWIND 32 THE RWY WAS CLR BUT OBVIOUSLY DETERIORATED QUICKLY. REGARDLESS, SAVANNAH TWR'S PERCEPTION WAS THAT I WAS IN WX CONDITIONS OTHER THAN VFR.

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.