Private pilot of small aircraft aircraft on cross country encountered unforecasted WX and was given ...

Attributes
ACN	236562
Time
Date	199303
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : eug
State Reference	OR
Altitude	msl bound lower : 9500 msl bound upper : 9500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zse
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Retractable Gear
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 : 20 flight time total : 90 flight time type : 70
ASRS Report	236562
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : weather other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : exited adverse environment flight crew : declared emergency other
Consequence	faa : investigated faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Weather

Narrative:

The flight was day VFR from sjc (san jose, ca) to clark county (O56) in wa. The WX briefing expected scattered clouds in north ca, fairly solid through the siskiyou mountains and then a high scattered layer in the willamette valley. The flight was uneventful until reaching the willamette valley. The flight was uneventful until reaching the willamette valley, cruising above the clouds at 12500 ft to 14500 ft. The buildup was worse to the east, so the route of flight was west of the airway, ending up over north bend. The WX over oregon was solid overcast not scattered as forecast, and I notified ZSE of my predicament with 1 hour fuel on board. After determining that there were no holes in the north bend area, I decided to try eugene, when conditions were reported as better. With ZSE providing assistance in locating clrer areas, I found 1 hole that enabled me to descend below the overcast. Eugene approach helped with directions to the airport, since visibility below a 1200 ft scattered layer was bad. I was given priority handling due to my being low on fuel. I landed successfully at eugene without incident.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PVT PLT OF SMA ACFT ON XCOUNTRY ENCOUNTERED UNFORECASTED WX AND WAS GIVEN A FLT ASSIST BY ARTCC.

Narrative: THE FLT WAS DAY VFR FROM SJC (SAN JOSE, CA) TO CLARK COUNTY (O56) IN WA. THE WX BRIEFING EXPECTED SCATTERED CLOUDS IN N CA, FAIRLY SOLID THROUGH THE SISKIYOU MOUNTAINS AND THEN A HIGH SCATTERED LAYER IN THE WILLAMETTE VALLEY. THE FLT WAS UNEVENTFUL UNTIL REACHING THE WILLAMETTE VALLEY. THE FLT WAS UNEVENTFUL UNTIL REACHING THE WILLAMETTE VALLEY, CRUISING ABOVE THE CLOUDS AT 12500 FT TO 14500 FT. THE BUILDUP WAS WORSE TO THE E, SO THE RTE OF FLT WAS W OF THE AIRWAY, ENDING UP OVER N BEND. THE WX OVER OREGON WAS SOLID OVCST NOT SCATTERED AS FORECAST, AND I NOTIFIED ZSE OF MY PREDICAMENT WITH 1 HR FUEL ON BOARD. AFTER DETERMINING THAT THERE WERE NO HOLES IN THE NORTH BEND AREA, I DECIDED TO TRY EUGENE, WHEN CONDITIONS WERE RPTED AS BETTER. WITH ZSE PROVIDING ASSISTANCE IN LOCATING CLRER AREAS, I FOUND 1 HOLE THAT ENABLED ME TO DSND BELOW THE OVCST. EUGENE APCH HELPED WITH DIRECTIONS TO THE ARPT, SINCE VISIBILITY BELOW A 1200 FT SCATTERED LAYER WAS BAD. I WAS GIVEN PRIORITY HANDLING DUE TO MY BEING LOW ON FUEL. I LANDED SUCCESSFULLY AT EUGENE WITHOUT INCIDENT.

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.

Private pilot of small aircraft aircraft on cross country encountered unforecasted WX and was given a flight assist by ARTCC.