Small aircraft enters IMC while attempting approach to non tower airport.

Attributes
ACN	295061
Time
Date	199501
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : o56 airport : oak
State Reference	CA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 500 agl bound upper : 500
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : oak
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	descent other
Route In Use	enroute : direct enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 25 flight time total : 240 flight time type : 30
ASRS Report	295061
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : vfr in imc inflight encounter : weather non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

While flying VFR in an attempt to land at gnoss field, I found it difficult to maintain VFR as conditions were marginal. Due to rapidly changing conditions I entered IMC for approximately 2 mins. I immediately called bay approach and was sequenced IFR into oak. No apparent problems seemed to arise. I am reminded how aware of WX one must be. I hope to never encounter such a situation again. I am sorry it happened and glad I could learn from it. The controller asked me if I had gone IMC by accident to which I replied yes. All in all maybe 1 1/2 - 2 mins IMC absolutely no more than 2 mins, all at which time I was in contact with bay approach and had an assigned squawk code. It will never happen again.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA ENTERS IMC WHILE ATTEMPTING APCH TO NON TWR ARPT.

Narrative: WHILE FLYING VFR IN AN ATTEMPT TO LAND AT GNOSS FIELD, I FOUND IT DIFFICULT TO MAINTAIN VFR AS CONDITIONS WERE MARGINAL. DUE TO RAPIDLY CHANGING CONDITIONS I ENTERED IMC FOR APPROX 2 MINS. I IMMEDIATELY CALLED BAY APCH AND WAS SEQUENCED IFR INTO OAK. NO APPARENT PROBS SEEMED TO ARISE. I AM REMINDED HOW AWARE OF WX ONE MUST BE. I HOPE TO NEVER ENCOUNTER SUCH A SIT AGAIN. I AM SORRY IT HAPPENED AND GLAD I COULD LEARN FROM IT. THE CTLR ASKED ME IF I HAD GONE IMC BY ACCIDENT TO WHICH I REPLIED YES. ALL IN ALL MAYBE 1 1/2 - 2 MINS IMC ABSOLUTELY NO MORE THAN 2 MINS, ALL AT WHICH TIME I WAS IN CONTACT WITH BAY APCH AND HAD AN ASSIGNED SQUAWK CODE. IT WILL NEVER HAPPEN AGAIN.

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.