Narrative:

The event that occurred was the rapid degradation of the WX from good VFR to IMC. The temperature and dewpoint were both 10/10, and I should have delayed the flight to see if the VFR would hold out. Since it was a local VFR flight, I did not receive a thorough briefing, which was an error in judgement on my part. I simply went by my airport's metar. The first 20 mins of the flight was good VFR. I flew west, and followed I-95. Phl cleared me past their airport, and once I passed runway 35, I saw scattered, broken clouds a fw mi ahead (1400 ft). I asked phl to clear me to the north, which was approved, then I noticed scattered to broken clouds below me to the north, so I asked phl to clear me towards the east, and back to pne. It was approved. I stayed at 12000 ft, above the clouds, and couldn't see the airport. I stayed on runway heading, 060 degrees, and told pne I couldn't see the airport. Pne said they would call phl approach, if I wanted to shoot ILS runway 24. Since the aircraft was instrument certified, and I was (current) on instruments, I accepted the offer. I shot the approach to about 80 ft over minimums, and missed. Pne gave 270 degrees and 2000 ft and switched me to phl. Phl had me hold at pne VOR. Phl said if we could keep holding for a few mins, they could vector us for ILS runway 17, that they were 900 ft broken. I accepted the offer, and continued to hold. Once on the vector, I had the localizer tuned in for runway 17. I intercepted at about 16 NM from phl at 4000 ft. I was switched to tower a few mi outside the marker. Tower asked if I had the plate, and I told them I did not. They read me the minimums, and missed, and I read it back. I broke out just under 900 ft, landed and taxied to the GA terminal.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SINGLE PLT 'VFR' IN 'IMC.

Narrative: THE EVENT THAT OCCURRED WAS THE RAPID DEGRADATION OF THE WX FROM GOOD VFR TO IMC. THE TEMP AND DEWPOINT WERE BOTH 10/10, AND I SHOULD HAVE DELAYED THE FLT TO SEE IF THE VFR WOULD HOLD OUT. SINCE IT WAS A LCL VFR FLT, I DID NOT RECEIVE A THOROUGH BRIEFING, WHICH WAS AN ERROR IN JUDGEMENT ON MY PART. I SIMPLY WENT BY MY ARPT'S METAR. THE FIRST 20 MINS OF THE FLT WAS GOOD VFR. I FLEW W, AND FOLLOWED I-95. PHL CLRED ME PAST THEIR ARPT, AND ONCE I PASSED RWY 35, I SAW SCATTERED, BROKEN CLOUDS A FW MI AHEAD (1400 FT). I ASKED PHL TO CLR ME TO THE N, WHICH WAS APPROVED, THEN I NOTICED SCATTERED TO BROKEN CLOUDS BELOW ME TO THE N, SO I ASKED PHL TO CLR ME TOWARDS THE E, AND BACK TO PNE. IT WAS APPROVED. I STAYED AT 12000 FT, ABOVE THE CLOUDS, AND COULDN'T SEE THE ARPT. I STAYED ON RWY HEADING, 060 DEGS, AND TOLD PNE I COULDN'T SEE THE ARPT. PNE SAID THEY WOULD CALL PHL APCH, IF I WANTED TO SHOOT ILS RWY 24. SINCE THE ACFT WAS INST CERTIFIED, AND I WAS (CURRENT) ON INSTS, I ACCEPTED THE OFFER. I SHOT THE APCH TO ABOUT 80 FT OVER MINIMUMS, AND MISSED. PNE GAVE 270 DEGS AND 2000 FT AND SWITCHED ME TO PHL. PHL HAD ME HOLD AT PNE VOR. PHL SAID IF WE COULD KEEP HOLDING FOR A FEW MINS, THEY COULD VECTOR US FOR ILS RWY 17, THAT THEY WERE 900 FT BROKEN. I ACCEPTED THE OFFER, AND CONTINUED TO HOLD. ONCE ON THE VECTOR, I HAD THE LOC TUNED IN FOR RWY 17. I INTERCEPTED AT ABOUT 16 NM FROM PHL AT 4000 FT. I WAS SWITCHED TO TWR A FEW MI OUTSIDE THE MARKER. TWR ASKED IF I HAD THE PLATE, AND I TOLD THEM I DID NOT. THEY READ ME THE MINIMUMS, AND MISSED, AND I READ IT BACK. I BROKE OUT JUST UNDER 900 FT, LANDED AND TAXIED TO THE GA TERMINAL.

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.