IMC VFR flight by private pilot in a night operation.

Attributes
ACN	291142
Time
Date	199412
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : aid
State Reference	IN
Altitude	msl bound lower : 5500 msl bound upper : 5500
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise other descent other landing other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 30 flight time total : 710 flight time type : 580
ASRS Report	291142
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	other personnel other
Qualification	other
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : weather inflight encounter : vfr in imc non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

FSS briefing did not match conditions. After passing over ind airport, cloud cover became overcast below cruise altitude. Cloud cover was not 100 percent seeing ongoing series of holes (which helped for a visual clue of under cloud conditions) and figuring the forecast would hold true in a few mi, I flew toward fdy, stopped at aid anderson airport by penetrating cloud cover on VFR flight due to fuel and condition (darkness) concern.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: IMC VFR FLT BY PVT PLT IN A NIGHT OP.

Narrative: FSS BRIEFING DID NOT MATCH CONDITIONS. AFTER PASSING OVER IND ARPT, CLOUD COVER BECAME OVCST BELOW CRUISE ALT. CLOUD COVER WAS NOT 100 PERCENT SEEING ONGOING SERIES OF HOLES (WHICH HELPED FOR A VISUAL CLUE OF UNDER CLOUD CONDITIONS) AND FIGURING THE FORECAST WOULD HOLD TRUE IN A FEW MI, I FLEW TOWARD FDY, STOPPED AT AID ANDERSON ARPT BY PENETRATING CLOUD COVER ON VFR FLT DUE TO FUEL AND CONDITION (DARKNESS) CONCERN.

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.