An small aircraft pilot found himself IMC in VFR.

Attributes
ACN	541053
Time
Date	200203
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : etc.airport
State Reference	NC
Altitude	msl single value : 1000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zdc.artcc
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	PA-32 Cherokee Six/Lance/Saratoga
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 : 21.5 flight time total : 250 flight time type : 100
ASRS Report	541053
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : vfr in imc non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : provided flight assist flight crew : declared emergency flight crew : diverted to another airport
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Weather Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

A flight was undertaken from hse with a final destination of tdf. The flight was not logged and a WX briefing was not used. I was scud running the aircraft until WX closed in and all visibility was lost. With concern for ground clearance, I gained altitude, struggled with spatial disorientation and contacted ATC on 121.5 and declared an emergency. With ATC's assistance we determined there was not enough visibility at my final destination and I accepted vectors to rwi. The flight was completed to rwi with IMC prevailing until final descent in relatively close proximity to the airport where a VFR landing could be made. The aircraft was landed without any damage or injuries of any type. The root cause of the problem was attempting a VFR flight when the WX clearly did not support this type of flight. Note: the pilot did have 14 hours of IFR training, otherwise this flight would probably have ended in tragedy.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN SMA PLT FOUND HIMSELF IMC IN VFR.

Narrative: A FLT WAS UNDERTAKEN FROM HSE WITH A FINAL DEST OF TDF. THE FLT WAS NOT LOGGED AND A WX BRIEFING WAS NOT USED. I WAS SCUD RUNNING THE ACFT UNTIL WX CLOSED IN AND ALL VISIBILITY WAS LOST. WITH CONCERN FOR GND CLRNC, I GAINED ALT, STRUGGLED WITH SPATIAL DISORIENTATION AND CONTACTED ATC ON 121.5 AND DECLARED AN EMER. WITH ATC'S ASSISTANCE WE DETERMINED THERE WAS NOT ENOUGH VISIBILITY AT MY FINAL DEST AND I ACCEPTED VECTORS TO RWI. THE FLT WAS COMPLETED TO RWI WITH IMC PREVAILING UNTIL FINAL DSCNT IN RELATIVELY CLOSE PROX TO THE ARPT WHERE A VFR LNDG COULD BE MADE. THE ACFT WAS LANDED WITHOUT ANY DAMAGE OR INJURIES OF ANY TYPE. THE ROOT CAUSE OF THE PROB WAS ATTEMPTING A VFR FLT WHEN THE WX CLRLY DID NOT SUPPORT THIS TYPE OF FLT. NOTE: THE PLT DID HAVE 14 HRS OF IFR TRAINING, OTHERWISE THIS FLT WOULD PROBABLY HAVE ENDED IN TRAGEDY.

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.