Narrative:

The morning was spent waiting for aurora and other en route airports to go VFR. I called flight service for WX briefings several times using the not yet assigned tail number. New number for XA00 am briefing looked favorable with marginal conditions only present for a short distance. Took off once before and found the visibility to be too poor that morning. So I waited for at least 3 mi visibility before I took off. After about 25 NM I got into IMC conditions. I attempted to turn around, but the fog seemed to rise up, behind me. I squawked 7700 and transmitted on 121.5. Rapid development closed visibility and made ceiling undetermined - could always recognize the sun yet could no longer make out ground from 2000-1500 ft MSL. Turned back to the north after 2 mins. Could not break out into VMC without descending to less than 500 ft AGL. Squawked 7700 declared emergency on 121.5 began to circle at 1500 ft MSL waiting radio contact for vectors or advice. A gulfstream monitoring 121.5 was my only come back - a big help as the strain began to take a toll. Gulfstream raised rockford approach. At that time, I was too stressed out and just asked to climb above the fog and get out of the mess. I climbed to the sun with a 180 degree heading at 500 FPM I broke out at 3000 ft with excellent visibility. My only concern other than my own poor habit was the time it took for the center to get back to me when I was only 20 mi from aurora center squawking 7700 and transmitting on 121.5.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: VFR IN IMC BY GA PLT.

Narrative: THE MORNING WAS SPENT WAITING FOR AURORA AND OTHER ENRTE ARPTS TO GO VFR. I CALLED FLT SVC FOR WX BRIEFINGS SEVERAL TIMES USING THE NOT YET ASSIGNED TAIL NUMBER. NEW NUMBER FOR XA00 AM BRIEFING LOOKED FAVORABLE WITH MARGINAL CONDITIONS ONLY PRESENT FOR A SHORT DISTANCE. TOOK OFF ONCE BEFORE AND FOUND THE VISIBILITY TO BE TOO POOR THAT MORNING. SO I WAITED FOR AT LEAST 3 MI VISIBILITY BEFORE I TOOK OFF. AFTER ABOUT 25 NM I GOT INTO IMC CONDITIONS. I ATTEMPTED TO TURN AROUND, BUT THE FOG SEEMED TO RISE UP, BEHIND ME. I SQUAWKED 7700 AND XMITTED ON 121.5. RAPID DEVELOPMENT CLOSED VISIBILITY AND MADE CEILING UNDETERMINED - COULD ALWAYS RECOGNIZE THE SUN YET COULD NO LONGER MAKE OUT GND FROM 2000-1500 FT MSL. TURNED BACK TO THE N AFTER 2 MINS. COULD NOT BREAK OUT INTO VMC WITHOUT DSNDING TO LESS THAN 500 FT AGL. SQUAWKED 7700 DECLARED EMER ON 121.5 BEGAN TO CIRCLE AT 1500 FT MSL WAITING RADIO CONTACT FOR VECTORS OR ADVICE. A GULFSTREAM MONITORING 121.5 WAS MY ONLY COME BACK - A BIG HELP AS THE STRAIN BEGAN TO TAKE A TOLL. GULFSTREAM RAISED ROCKFORD APCH. AT THAT TIME, I WAS TOO STRESSED OUT AND JUST ASKED TO CLB ABOVE THE FOG AND GET OUT OF THE MESS. I CLBED TO THE SUN WITH A 180 DEG HDG AT 500 FPM I BROKE OUT AT 3000 FT WITH EXCELLENT VISIBILITY. MY ONLY CONCERN OTHER THAN MY OWN POOR HABIT WAS THE TIME IT TOOK FOR THE CTR TO GET BACK TO ME WHEN I WAS ONLY 20 MI FROM AURORA CTR SQUAWKING 7700 AND XMITTING ON 121.5.

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.