Narrative:

Prior to heading to the field I obtained a WX briefing which called for a 3000 ft ceiling with a forecast for scattered clouds at 2000 ft. Since W29 was recently included in the dc ADIZ, the WX briefing also must interpret and implement the ADIZ rules. After the WX information I was given a discrete code after the briefer called bwi approach directly and then filed the ADIZ flight plan, then the VFR 'search and rescue' flight plan for W29 to oxb, via sby, and the return plan from oxb to W29, via sby. The flight originated XA00 eastern from W29. The conditions were VFR, dusk with a 3000 ft ceiling. I climbed to 2500 ft on a heading of 152 for sby. I contacted the sby tower approximately 10 miles north requesting a transition and was approved. I later descended to 1900 ft and contacted sby to inform them of my altitude change. After overflying sby I turned east for oxb and encountered a low ceiling and clouds which produced light icing. With the clouds and darkening conditions I decided to return immediately to sby and made a shallow 180 degree climbing turn. I contacted sby tower and again requested a transition over the field and again announced that I was 1 mile east at 1900 ft. I continued on a northwest heading when I encountered dark sky and scattered clouds. I elected to turn west to find the eastern shore of the chesapeake bay and then continued north to W29. I did this to eliminate any navigation issues while flying under challenging conditions. I then contacted 122.6, jyo FSS, to update my flight plans. I cancelled my plan to oxb and said I was heading back to W29 at that time. I next decided to monitor cambridge unicom, then easton unicom to monitor local traffic. After a short while cruising north at 1500 ft approximately I contacted bwi approach while changing my transponder from 1200 to my discrete code. The point where I made contact is, I believe, an issue of safety. During my brief flight I encountered icing, darkening skies and varying ceilings (the forecast of scattered clouds did not materialize). My priorities were focusing on flying safely, contacting the sby tower of my intentions, contacting jyo to update and cancel my flight plans, monitoring local airport unicom frequencies and of course navigating. My priority is also obeying the ADIZ rules, but my first priority will always be flying safely. I feel safety could be compromised if pilots flying under challenging conditions become overly distracted on requesting clearance for entering the ADIZ. On my flight I made a variety of decisions based on the conditions with the goal of making a safe flight.

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PA28 PLT FLEW IMC IN VFR FLT, ENCOUNTERED DARKNESS, AND ENTERED DC ADIZ WITH OUT CLRNC.

Narrative: PRIOR TO HEADING TO THE FIELD I OBTAINED A WX BRIEFING WHICH CALLED FOR A 3000 FT CEILING WITH A FORECAST FOR SCATTERED CLOUDS AT 2000 FT. SINCE W29 WAS RECENTLY INCLUDED IN THE DC ADIZ, THE WX BRIEFING ALSO MUST INTERPRET AND IMPLEMENT THE ADIZ RULES. AFTER THE WX INFO I WAS GIVEN A DISCRETE CODE AFTER THE BRIEFER CALLED BWI APCH DIRECTLY AND THEN FILED THE ADIZ FLT PLAN, THEN THE VFR 'SEARCH AND RESCUE' FLT PLAN FOR W29 TO OXB, VIA SBY, AND THE RETURN PLAN FROM OXB TO W29, VIA SBY. THE FLT ORIGINATED XA00 EASTERN FROM W29. THE CONDITIONS WERE VFR, DUSK WITH A 3000 FT CEILING. I CLBED TO 2500 FT ON A HDG OF 152 FOR SBY. I CONTACTED THE SBY TWR APPROX 10 MILES N REQUESTING A TRANSITION AND WAS APPROVED. I LATER DESCENDED TO 1900 FT AND CONTACTED SBY TO INFORM THEM OF MY ALT CHANGE. AFTER OVERFLYING SBY I TURNED EAST FOR OXB AND ENCOUNTERED A LOW CEILING AND CLOUDS WHICH PRODUCED LIGHT ICING. WITH THE CLOUDS AND DARKENING CONDITIONS I DECIDED TO RETURN IMMEDIATELY TO SBY AND MADE A SHALLOW 180 DEG CLBING TURN. I CONTACTED SBY TWR AND AGAIN REQUESTED A TRANSITION OVER THE FIELD AND AGAIN ANNOUNCED THAT I WAS 1 MILE E AT 1900 FT. I CONTINUED ON A NW HDG WHEN I ENCOUNTERED DARK SKY AND SCATTERED CLOUDS. I ELECTED TO TURN W TO FIND THE EASTERN SHORE OF THE CHESAPEAKE BAY AND THEN CONTINUED N TO W29. I DID THIS TO ELIMINATE ANY NAVIGATION ISSUES WHILE FLYING UNDER CHALLENGING CONDITIONS. I THEN CONTACTED 122.6, JYO FSS, TO UPDATE MY FLT PLANS. I CANCELLED MY PLAN TO OXB AND SAID I WAS HEADING BACK TO W29 AT THAT TIME. I NEXT DECIDED TO MONITOR CAMBRIDGE UNICOM, THEN EASTON UNICOM TO MONITOR LOCAL TFC. AFTER A SHORT WHILE CRUISING N AT 1500 FT APPROX I CONTACTED BWI APCH WHILE CHANGING MY XPONDER FROM 1200 TO MY DISCRETE CODE. THE POINT WHERE I MADE CONTACT IS, I BELIEVE, AN ISSUE OF SAFETY. DURING MY BRIEF FLT I ENCOUNTERED ICING, DARKENING SKIES AND VARYING CEILINGS (THE FORECAST OF SCATTERED CLOUDS DID NOT MATERIALIZE). MY PRIORITIES WERE FOCUSING ON FLYING SAFELY, CONTACTING THE SBY TWR OF MY INTENTIONS, CONTACTING JYO TO UPDATE AND CANCEL MY FLT PLANS, MONITORING LOCAL ARPT UNICOM FREQUENCIES AND OF COURSE NAVIGATING. MY PRIORITY IS ALSO OBEYING THE ADIZ RULES, BUT MY FIRST PRIORITY WILL ALWAYS BE FLYING SAFELY. I FEEL SAFETY COULD BE COMPROMISED IF PLTS FLYING UNDER CHALLENGING CONDITIONS BECOME OVERLY DISTRACTED ON REQUESTING CLRNC FOR ENTERING THE ADIZ. ON MY FLT I MADE A VARIETY OF DECISIONS BASED ON THE CONDITIONS WITH THE GOAL OF MAKING A SAFE FLT.

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.