Bgr controller provides radar surveillance approach to a C172 caught between cloud layers.

Attributes
ACN	511795
Time
Date	200105
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0001 To 0600
Place
Locale Reference	airport : bgr.airport
State Reference	ME
Altitude	msl single value : 2500
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : bgr.tracon tower : pie.tower
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 20 flight time total : 715 flight time type : 400
ASRS Report	511795
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : vfr in imc inflight encounter : weather non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : provided flight assist flight crew : became reoriented flight crew : exited adverse environment flight crew : diverted to another airport
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Weather
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I was returning to my home airport (rkd) late in the evening. There was a broken layer below me and a solid overcast above by maybe 1500-2000 ft. As I flew past bangor heading south, the undercast became closed in and the overcast began to come down. By the time I realized all the ground lights had disappeared and the overcast had closed in, I was deep in a series of broken and solid clouds. Even though I knew where I was and had my instruments tuned in, I quickly decided to call bangor approach control to help with vectors to their airport. I knew they could get me O the ground with a surveillance approach. Jut about as soon as I did a 180 degree turn, the undercast returned to broken, but I still used the controller to help with vectors and altitude suggestions.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: BGR CTLR PROVIDES RADAR SURVEILLANCE APCH TO A C172 CAUGHT BTWN CLOUD LAYERS.

Narrative: I WAS RETURNING TO MY HOME ARPT (RKD) LATE IN THE EVENING. THERE WAS A BROKEN LAYER BELOW ME AND A SOLID OVCST ABOVE BY MAYBE 1500-2000 FT. AS I FLEW PAST BANGOR HDG S, THE UNDERCAST BECAME CLOSED IN AND THE OVCST BEGAN TO COME DOWN. BY THE TIME I REALIZED ALL THE GND LIGHTS HAD DISAPPEARED AND THE OVCST HAD CLOSED IN, I WAS DEEP IN A SERIES OF BROKEN AND SOLID CLOUDS. EVEN THOUGH I KNEW WHERE I WAS AND HAD MY INSTS TUNED IN, I QUICKLY DECIDED TO CALL BANGOR APCH CTL TO HELP WITH VECTORS TO THEIR ARPT. I KNEW THEY COULD GET ME O THE GND WITH A SURVEILLANCE APCH. JUT ABOUT AS SOON AS I DID A 180 DEG TURN, THE UNDERCAST RETURNED TO BROKEN, BUT I STILL USED THE CTLR TO HELP WITH VECTORS AND ALT SUGGESTIONS.

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.