Emergency declared in order to pick up an ATC clearance into destination airport which was IMC.

Attributes
ACN	222750
Time
Date	199209
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : bgr
State Reference	ME
Altitude	msl bound lower : 1500 msl bound upper : 1500
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : bgr
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft
Flight Phase	cruise other other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 25 flight time total : 1100 flight time type : 1000
ASRS Report	222750
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : weather non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency other
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Departed a private owned, public use airport (ME08) in VFR conditions. The ceiling was getting lower as we flew toward our home base (bgr). Contacted approach control, was told the field was IFR. Asked for an IFR clearance to do the ILS 15 approach. Was told that the min vectoring altitude was 2700 MSL. Couldn't climb to that altitude and stay VFR. Controller suggested going to (2b7) and get clearance from bgr radio or declare an emergency, at which time he could give me the IFR clearance. Could not get to (2b7) and stay VFR, so I declared the emergency. Went on to bangor, shot the approach and landed.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: EMER DECLARED IN ORDER TO PICK UP AN ATC CLRNC INTO DEST ARPT WHICH WAS IMC.

Narrative: DEPARTED A PRIVATE OWNED, PUBLIC USE ARPT (ME08) IN VFR CONDITIONS. THE CEILING WAS GETTING LOWER AS WE FLEW TOWARD OUR HOME BASE (BGR). CONTACTED APCH CTL, WAS TOLD THE FIELD WAS IFR. ASKED FOR AN IFR CLRNC TO DO THE ILS 15 APCH. WAS TOLD THAT THE MIN VECTORING ALT WAS 2700 MSL. COULDN'T CLB TO THAT ALT AND STAY VFR. CTLR SUGGESTED GOING TO (2B7) AND GET CLRNC FROM BGR RADIO OR DECLARE AN EMER, AT WHICH TIME HE COULD GIVE ME THE IFR CLRNC. COULD NOT GET TO (2B7) AND STAY VFR, SO I DECLARED THE EMER. WENT ON TO BANGOR, SHOT THE APCH AND LANDED.

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.