M5 pilot flew IMC in VFR flight.

Attributes
ACN	474780
Time
Date	200005
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : roa.airport
State Reference	VA
Altitude	msl single value : 4000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Marginal
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : ztl.artcc tracon : roa.tracon
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	M-5
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 10 flight time total : 835 flight time type : 320
ASRS Report	474780
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : vfr in imc inflight encounter : weather non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance controller : provided flight assist flight crew : landed as precaution flight crew : diverted to another airport other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Weather ATC Facility Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

After receiving a standard WX briefing over the phone, I departed VFR from wilmington, nc (ilm) on may/mon/00. Although WX conditions were principally VFR and the WX briefer had used the phrase 'should be a piece of cake,' I decided, as an added precaution, to purchase IFR en route low altitude charts for the route to ann arbor, as well approach plates southeast-2 and ec-2. The approach plates northeast-3 were sold out at the FBO. Current commercial approach plates and en route charts for michigan were onboard. I had planned the VFR flight from wilmington to ann arbor (arb), mi, with a fuel stop in charleston (crw). The maule lunar rocket is IFR certified, there is a VOR, GS, LORAN and a GPS garmin 195 onboard. Furthermore, I am IFR current. However, the maule does not have an autoplt and thus flying an extended route in IMC, as would have probably been necessary on an IFR flight plan, would have been quite strenuous. Therefore, I opted for VFR, with the option of filing en route should it become necessary. As I approached the mountains northwest of greensboro, nc, there appeared to be a clear passage through. However, further north, approximately 27 mi west of roanoke (roa) conditions deteriorated. I contacted roanoke approach requesting an IFR clearance and began circling. Approach gave me a squawk code which I entered into the transponder. I continued to circle and roanoke approach repeatedly requested me to repeat my position, stating that they were not able to locate me on radar. Meanwhile, conditions continued to deteriorate and backtracking my route VFR was no longer an option. I circled for a long time (approximately 15 mins, but I am not absolutely sure) until roanoke approach stated, that although they were not able to locate me on radar, atlanta was. Unfortunately, visual conditions deteriorated further and while waiting for a clearance, I may have briefly and inadvertently entered into IMC. I was given vectors to roanoke, where I landed VFR.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: M5 PLT FLEW IMC IN VFR FLT.

Narrative: AFTER RECEIVING A STANDARD WX BRIEFING OVER THE PHONE, I DEPARTED VFR FROM WILMINGTON, NC (ILM) ON MAY/MON/00. ALTHOUGH WX CONDITIONS WERE PRINCIPALLY VFR AND THE WX BRIEFER HAD USED THE PHRASE 'SHOULD BE A PIECE OF CAKE,' I DECIDED, AS AN ADDED PRECAUTION, TO PURCHASE IFR ENRTE LOW ALT CHARTS FOR THE RTE TO ANN ARBOR, AS WELL APCH PLATES SE-2 AND EC-2. THE APCH PLATES NE-3 WERE SOLD OUT AT THE FBO. CURRENT COMMERCIAL APCH PLATES AND ENRTE CHARTS FOR MICHIGAN WERE ONBOARD. I HAD PLANNED THE VFR FLT FROM WILMINGTON TO ANN ARBOR (ARB), MI, WITH A FUEL STOP IN CHARLESTON (CRW). THE MAULE LUNAR ROCKET IS IFR CERTIFIED, THERE IS A VOR, GS, LORAN AND A GPS GARMIN 195 ONBOARD. FURTHERMORE, I AM IFR CURRENT. HOWEVER, THE MAULE DOES NOT HAVE AN AUTOPLT AND THUS FLYING AN EXTENDED RTE IN IMC, AS WOULD HAVE PROBABLY BEEN NECESSARY ON AN IFR FLT PLAN, WOULD HAVE BEEN QUITE STRENUOUS. THEREFORE, I OPTED FOR VFR, WITH THE OPTION OF FILING ENRTE SHOULD IT BECOME NECESSARY. AS I APCHED THE MOUNTAINS NW OF GREENSBORO, NC, THERE APPEARED TO BE A CLR PASSAGE THROUGH. HOWEVER, FURTHER N, APPROX 27 MI W OF ROANOKE (ROA) CONDITIONS DETERIORATED. I CONTACTED ROANOKE APCH REQUESTING AN IFR CLRNC AND BEGAN CIRCLING. APCH GAVE ME A SQUAWK CODE WHICH I ENTERED INTO THE XPONDER. I CONTINUED TO CIRCLE AND ROANOKE APCH REPEATEDLY REQUESTED ME TO REPEAT MY POS, STATING THAT THEY WERE NOT ABLE TO LOCATE ME ON RADAR. MEANWHILE, CONDITIONS CONTINUED TO DETERIORATE AND BACKTRACKING MY RTE VFR WAS NO LONGER AN OPTION. I CIRCLED FOR A LONG TIME (APPROX 15 MINS, BUT I AM NOT ABSOLUTELY SURE) UNTIL ROANOKE APCH STATED, THAT ALTHOUGH THEY WERE NOT ABLE TO LOCATE ME ON RADAR, ATLANTA WAS. UNFORTUNATELY, VISUAL CONDITIONS DETERIORATED FURTHER AND WHILE WAITING FOR A CLRNC, I MAY HAVE BRIEFLY AND INADVERTENTLY ENTERED INTO IMC. I WAS GIVEN VECTORS TO ROANOKE, WHERE I LANDED VFR.

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.