Narrative:

As I was flying back from a cross country (for training) I filed a PIREP (good conditions). The FSS (millville) told me that the current conditions for my destination, ilg, were IFR. (Visibility 1 1/2 snow 1500 overcast.) I was about 30 NM out in good conditions (visibility 15, 65 broken) so I contacted phl approach and requested a SVFR clearance for the control zone ilg that was approved. This was about 15 NM out and conditions were still good though I could see a haze layer in front of me. So I started my descent then at about 11 NM out the visibility suddenly dropped as I reached 1000 ft. Looking down to the ground everything was white because of the snow. At this point I found it difficult to find the airport (ilg) because of the low visibility and the ground white (snow). I asked phl approach controller if he could give me radar vector to ilg. He came back to me 'negative' because at this altitude he could not pick me up on radar (at least not vector me!). He told me to maintain VFR at all times. Because of the bad conditions I decided to make a 180 degree turn towards the good WX. I told the approach controller and after my turn was completed I was heading south. A few mins after my turn the approach controller told me I was about 2 mi east of N92 which is a one runway, uncontrolled field. I circled around but could not see it (runway was under snow), then I decided to get back to my heading which was south (at this time I had 20 gallons left). Now the approach controller told me to contact the tower, which I did. Ilg tower told me to tune in the VOR and fly direct to ilg. Cruising at about plus or minus 1000 ft I turned and headed direct (dqo) ilg. When I was about 2 mi out the tower told me that the field was 12 O'clock, 2 mi. At that same time I could see the runway lights from runway 1 and told the tower I was clear to land and so I did.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ATTEMPT BY PLT TO COMPLETE VFR FLT UNDER SVFR FAILS AND HE MUST BE HELPED BY ATC.

Narrative: AS I WAS FLYING BACK FROM A XCOUNTRY (FOR TRAINING) I FILED A PIREP (GOOD CONDITIONS). THE FSS (MILLVILLE) TOLD ME THAT THE CURRENT CONDITIONS FOR MY DEST, ILG, WERE IFR. (VISIBILITY 1 1/2 SNOW 1500 OVCST.) I WAS ABOUT 30 NM OUT IN GOOD CONDITIONS (VISIBILITY 15, 65 BROKEN) SO I CONTACTED PHL APCH AND REQUESTED A SVFR CLRNC FOR THE CTL ZONE ILG THAT WAS APPROVED. THIS WAS ABOUT 15 NM OUT AND CONDITIONS WERE STILL GOOD THOUGH I COULD SEE A HAZE LAYER IN FRONT OF ME. SO I STARTED MY DSCNT THEN AT ABOUT 11 NM OUT THE VISIBILITY SUDDENLY DROPPED AS I REACHED 1000 FT. LOOKING DOWN TO THE GND EVERYTHING WAS WHITE BECAUSE OF THE SNOW. AT THIS POINT I FOUND IT DIFFICULT TO FIND THE ARPT (ILG) BECAUSE OF THE LOW VISIBILITY AND THE GND WHITE (SNOW). I ASKED PHL APCH CTLR IF HE COULD GIVE ME RADAR VECTOR TO ILG. HE CAME BACK TO ME 'NEGATIVE' BECAUSE AT THIS ALT HE COULD NOT PICK ME UP ON RADAR (AT LEAST NOT VECTOR ME!). HE TOLD ME TO MAINTAIN VFR AT ALL TIMES. BECAUSE OF THE BAD CONDITIONS I DECIDED TO MAKE A 180 DEG TURN TOWARDS THE GOOD WX. I TOLD THE APCH CTLR AND AFTER MY TURN WAS COMPLETED I WAS HDG S. A FEW MINS AFTER MY TURN THE APCH CTLR TOLD ME I WAS ABOUT 2 MI E OF N92 WHICH IS A ONE RWY, UNCTLED FIELD. I CIRCLED AROUND BUT COULD NOT SEE IT (RWY WAS UNDER SNOW), THEN I DECIDED TO GET BACK TO MY HDG WHICH WAS S (AT THIS TIME I HAD 20 GALLONS LEFT). NOW THE APCH CTLR TOLD ME TO CONTACT THE TWR, WHICH I DID. ILG TWR TOLD ME TO TUNE IN THE VOR AND FLY DIRECT TO ILG. CRUISING AT ABOUT PLUS OR MINUS 1000 FT I TURNED AND HEADED DIRECT (DQO) ILG. WHEN I WAS ABOUT 2 MI OUT THE TWR TOLD ME THAT THE FIELD WAS 12 O'CLOCK, 2 MI. AT THAT SAME TIME I COULD SEE THE RWY LIGHTS FROM RWY 1 AND TOLD THE TWR I WAS CLR TO LAND AND SO I DID.

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.