C172 momentary IMC on VFR flight plan.

Attributes
ACN	431374
Time
Date	199903
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : apa.airport
State Reference	CO
Altitude	msl single value : 8000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Marginal
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : d01.tracon
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	instruction : instructor
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 120 flight time total : 1060 flight time type : 500
ASRS Report	431374
Person 2
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : vfr in imc inflight encounter : weather non adherence : far non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance none taken : insufficient time
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance Environmental Factor Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

While conducting practice approachs to apa, advised controller we were approaching possible IMC and asked for verification that we had an IFR clearance. Controller did not respond and was unable to contact controller prior to entering possible IMC due to frequency congestion. Entered IMC and was in IMC briefly prior to becoming MVFR. Reported in and out of IMC, then reported MVFR conditions.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C172 MOMENTARY IMC ON VFR FLT PLAN.

Narrative: WHILE CONDUCTING PRACTICE APCHS TO APA, ADVISED CTLR WE WERE APCHING POSSIBLE IMC AND ASKED FOR VERIFICATION THAT WE HAD AN IFR CLRNC. CTLR DID NOT RESPOND AND WAS UNABLE TO CONTACT CTLR PRIOR TO ENTERING POSSIBLE IMC DUE TO FREQ CONGESTION. ENTERED IMC AND WAS IN IMC BRIEFLY PRIOR TO BECOMING MVFR. RPTED IN AND OUT OF IMC, THEN RPTED MVFR CONDITIONS.

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.