A C172 pilot entered IMC while VFR in N90 airspace.

Attributes
ACN	440241
Time
Date	199906
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : jfk.airport
State Reference	NY
Altitude	msl single value : 3500
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : n90.tracon
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Route In Use	enroute other
Flight Plan	IFR Combined VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 20 flight time total : 1925 flight time type : 750
ASRS Report	440241
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : weather non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance controller : issued alert
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I had canceled IFR and was proceeding VFR over the top at 5500 ft, still on my previous IFR squawk and with flight following from the same ATC facilities. From flight service, I determined I would need an IFR descent and possibly an instrument approach at hpn. I requested an IFR clearance from new york approach, and was told I was cleared into class B airspace, descend to 3500 ft and proceed directly to the airport. New york approach controller was extremely busy, even by new york standards approximately 5-10 mins later, I was in IMC. New york approach gave me a traffic alert, I reported I was in IMC, and it now became abundantly clear they had still been handling me as VFR with advisories. New york approach then assigned me a new squawk, altitude and vector, and then an IFR clearance, which initially I did not fly correctly, both in terms of heading and maintaining assigned altitude.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A C172 PLT ENTERED IMC WHILE VFR IN N90 AIRSPACE.

Narrative: I HAD CANCELED IFR AND WAS PROCEEDING VFR OVER THE TOP AT 5500 FT, STILL ON MY PREVIOUS IFR SQUAWK AND WITH FLT FOLLOWING FROM THE SAME ATC FACILITIES. FROM FLT SVC, I DETERMINED I WOULD NEED AN IFR DSCNT AND POSSIBLY AN INST APCH AT HPN. I REQUESTED AN IFR CLRNC FROM NEW YORK APCH, AND WAS TOLD I WAS CLRED INTO CLASS B AIRSPACE, DSND TO 3500 FT AND PROCEED DIRECTLY TO THE ARPT. NEW YORK APCH CTLR WAS EXTREMELY BUSY, EVEN BY NEW YORK STANDARDS APPROX 5-10 MINS LATER, I WAS IN IMC. NEW YORK APCH GAVE ME A TFC ALERT, I RPTED I WAS IN IMC, AND IT NOW BECAME ABUNDANTLY CLR THEY HAD STILL BEEN HANDLING ME AS VFR WITH ADVISORIES. NEW YORK APCH THEN ASSIGNED ME A NEW SQUAWK, ALT AND VECTOR, AND THEN AN IFR CLRNC, WHICH INITIALLY I DID NOT FLY CORRECTLY, BOTH IN TERMS OF HDG AND MAINTAINING ASSIGNED ALT.

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.