Pipe line patrol aircraft has flight assist, emergency as WX deteriorates.

Attributes
ACN	291422
Time
Date	199412
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : bwi
State Reference	MD
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : bwi
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 205 flight time total : 10480 flight time type : 2300
ASRS Report	291422
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : vfr in imc non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance controller : provided flight assist flight crew : declared emergency
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Weather

Narrative:

I have flown pipe line patrol for over 9 yrs with 3 companies for over 8000 hours of flying time. My takeoff from ilg had been delayed due to low ceilings and visibility. By now ilg, bwi and dca were all reporting VFR. Iad was still IFR. Our line runs north of bwi and curves southwest between iad and dca. I had been assigned additional line to fly and was feeling pushed to complete my run so I took off at noon from ilg. I completed my lateral lines around bwi and made my turn toward dulles, visibility and ceiling started dropping. I realized that a 180 degree turn would be dangerous so I began an immediate climb while contacting bwi approach. They had me squawk 7700 and I shot an uneventful ILS to bwi which was still VFR. 2 things stood out to me from this incident. 1) not to allow pressure from your company either real or imagined to cause me to press on further than is wise. I am usually very careful to leave an 'out' in every flying situation. There has been a lot of conflict in my flight department and stress associated with it. All of us in the patrol department have felt pressure to get the run completed as management has added more and more line to fly. 2) when in trouble, it's important to call for help quickly rather than delay and risk further or increased danger to myself and others. Once I realized what I had done, I called bwi approach to get help. I think other pilots have tried to work their way out of tough sits and were afraid to call for help.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PIPE LINE PATROL ACFT HAS FLT ASSIST, EMER AS WX DETERIORATES.

Narrative: I HAVE FLOWN PIPE LINE PATROL FOR OVER 9 YRS WITH 3 COMPANIES FOR OVER 8000 HRS OF FLYING TIME. MY TKOF FROM ILG HAD BEEN DELAYED DUE TO LOW CEILINGS AND VISIBILITY. BY NOW ILG, BWI AND DCA WERE ALL RPTING VFR. IAD WAS STILL IFR. OUR LINE RUNS N OF BWI AND CURVES SW BTWN IAD AND DCA. I HAD BEEN ASSIGNED ADDITIONAL LINE TO FLY AND WAS FEELING PUSHED TO COMPLETE MY RUN SO I TOOK OFF AT NOON FROM ILG. I COMPLETED MY LATERAL LINES AROUND BWI AND MADE MY TURN TOWARD DULLES, VISIBILITY AND CEILING STARTED DROPPING. I REALIZED THAT A 180 DEG TURN WOULD BE DANGEROUS SO I BEGAN AN IMMEDIATE CLB WHILE CONTACTING BWI APCH. THEY HAD ME SQUAWK 7700 AND I SHOT AN UNEVENTFUL ILS TO BWI WHICH WAS STILL VFR. 2 THINGS STOOD OUT TO ME FROM THIS INCIDENT. 1) NOT TO ALLOW PRESSURE FROM YOUR COMPANY EITHER REAL OR IMAGINED TO CAUSE ME TO PRESS ON FURTHER THAN IS WISE. I AM USUALLY VERY CAREFUL TO LEAVE AN 'OUT' IN EVERY FLYING SIT. THERE HAS BEEN A LOT OF CONFLICT IN MY FLT DEPT AND STRESS ASSOCIATED WITH IT. ALL OF US IN THE PATROL DEPT HAVE FELT PRESSURE TO GET THE RUN COMPLETED AS MGMNT HAS ADDED MORE AND MORE LINE TO FLY. 2) WHEN IN TROUBLE, IT'S IMPORTANT TO CALL FOR HELP QUICKLY RATHER THAN DELAY AND RISK FURTHER OR INCREASED DANGER TO MYSELF AND OTHERS. ONCE I REALIZED WHAT I HAD DONE, I CALLED BWI APCH TO GET HELP. I THINK OTHER PLTS HAVE TRIED TO WORK THEIR WAY OUT OF TOUGH SITS AND WERE AFRAID TO CALL FOR HELP.

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.