C172 pilot departs in marginal WX conditions VFR and encounters instrument conditions, declaring an emergency. Pilot feels N90 is giving him the 'run around.'

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Attributes
ACN	453603
Time
Date	199910
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
State Reference	NY
Altitude	msl single value : 7500
Environment
Flight Conditions	Marginal
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : n90.tracon
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Navigation In Use	other vortac
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Route In Use	enroute : direct
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 45 flight time total : 225 flight time type : 195
ASRS Report	453603
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	other personnel
Qualification	other
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : vfr in imc inflight encounter : weather non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance controller : provided flight assist flight crew : declared emergency flight crew : exited adverse environment
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Airspace Structure Flight Crew Human Performance Weather ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Got FSS WX briefing, which indicated clear below 12000 ft. Filed IFR flight plan pne-ard-lga-bdr-hfd-hfd. Got clearance which sent me via fjc-huo. Declined clearance due to routing. Departed VFR in VMC -- hazy. Obtained flight following. Quite hazy, but always in contact with ground from 7500 ft. Approximately carmel VOR, suddenly found myself in clouds. (Was unable to detect them approaching.) contacted ny approach, told them 'inadvertent flight into clouds,' asked for IFR clearance direct hfd at 7000 ft. Was told by approach controller that I was VFR and requested to maintain clear of clouds. I responded, 'understand,' and repeated 'inadvertent flight into clouds.' controller asked if I was declaring an emergency. I responded 'affirmative.' (why was the controller bullying me?) was told to standby then received requested clearance. Completed flight IFR. After flight, contacted FSS (bdr) and ny approach by phone to see why my clearance from pne to hfd is always so roundabout. Was unable to find out why. No tower en route control route in manuals. Pne tower suggested ard-V276-dixix-V16-jfk-V225-hfd. In future, will accept clearance and negotiate once airborne.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C172 PLT DEPARTS IN MARGINAL WX CONDITIONS VFR AND ENCOUNTERS INST CONDITIONS, DECLARING AN EMER. PLT FEELS N90 IS GIVING HIM THE 'RUN AROUND.'

Narrative: GOT FSS WX BRIEFING, WHICH INDICATED CLR BELOW 12000 FT. FILED IFR FLT PLAN PNE-ARD-LGA-BDR-HFD-HFD. GOT CLRNC WHICH SENT ME VIA FJC-HUO. DECLINED CLRNC DUE TO ROUTING. DEPARTED VFR IN VMC -- HAZY. OBTAINED FLT FOLLOWING. QUITE HAZY, BUT ALWAYS IN CONTACT WITH GND FROM 7500 FT. APPROX CARMEL VOR, SUDDENLY FOUND MYSELF IN CLOUDS. (WAS UNABLE TO DETECT THEM APCHING.) CONTACTED NY APCH, TOLD THEM 'INADVERTENT FLT INTO CLOUDS,' ASKED FOR IFR CLRNC DIRECT HFD AT 7000 FT. WAS TOLD BY APCH CTLR THAT I WAS VFR AND REQUESTED TO MAINTAIN CLR OF CLOUDS. I RESPONDED, 'UNDERSTAND,' AND REPEATED 'INADVERTENT FLT INTO CLOUDS.' CTLR ASKED IF I WAS DECLARING AN EMER. I RESPONDED 'AFFIRMATIVE.' (WHY WAS THE CTLR BULLYING ME?) WAS TOLD TO STANDBY THEN RECEIVED REQUESTED CLRNC. COMPLETED FLT IFR. AFTER FLT, CONTACTED FSS (BDR) AND NY APCH BY PHONE TO SEE WHY MY CLRNC FROM PNE TO HFD IS ALWAYS SO ROUNDABOUT. WAS UNABLE TO FIND OUT WHY. NO TWR ENRTE CTL RTE IN MANUALS. PNE TWR SUGGESTED ARD-V276-DIXIX-V16-JFK-V225-HFD. IN FUTURE, WILL ACCEPT CLRNC AND NEGOTIATE ONCE AIRBORNE.

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.