Narrative:

I departed martin state airport (mtn). We intended to land at ridgely airport (rdj), and file by telephone for return through the ADIZ to martin state airport later that day. At the time of our departure, the WX was reported as 7 mi visibility at martin state airport, with a ceiling of 2200 ft. I squawked the assigned transponder code for departure from martin state, and monitored potomac on 124.92, as instructed by martin ground. I departed martin state and headed southeast across hart-miller island, generally toward golda intersection. As I crossed the chesapeake bay, I saw a fog bank moving n-nw towards martin state airport, and directly in our intended path of flight. At that time, my wife told me that she was experiencing severe pain in her ears. I concluded that it was not possible to reach our intended destination because of the fog and the rapidly deteriorating WX. I concluded that I must land as soon as possible to alleviate the intense pain my wife was experiencing. Because of the WX, there was no public use airport available to me outside of the ADIZ. The fog was rapidly closing, and it was not possible for me to circle outside of the ADIZ and await authority/authorized to return into the ADIZ. I attempted to contact potomac to advise them that I needed an immediate return to martin state airport for landing. Because of the changing WX, the approach controller was overwhelmed with IFR aircraft going into baltimore-washington airport, and would not respond to my repeated calls. I switched to other potomac frequencys in an attempt to establish contact and advise them of the nature of my emergency. I was unable to make contact with potomac despite my continuing efforts to do so. I called martin tower to advise them that I needed an immediate return for landing. I gave them my position, and they cleared me to return. Upon my return I was given a number to call.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: VFR C172 ON PLEASURE FLT ENCOUNTERS WX AND PAX ILLNESS AND ENTERS DCA ADIZ WITHOUT CLRNC.

Narrative: I DEPARTED MARTIN STATE ARPT (MTN). WE INTENDED TO LAND AT RIDGELY ARPT (RDJ), AND FILE BY TELEPHONE FOR RETURN THROUGH THE ADIZ TO MARTIN STATE ARPT LATER THAT DAY. AT THE TIME OF OUR DEP, THE WX WAS RPTED AS 7 MI VISIBILITY AT MARTIN STATE ARPT, WITH A CEILING OF 2200 FT. I SQUAWKED THE ASSIGNED XPONDER CODE FOR DEP FROM MARTIN STATE, AND MONITORED POTOMAC ON 124.92, AS INSTRUCTED BY MARTIN GND. I DEPARTED MARTIN STATE AND HEADED SE ACROSS HART-MILLER ISLAND, GENERALLY TOWARD GOLDA INTXN. AS I CROSSED THE CHESAPEAKE BAY, I SAW A FOG BANK MOVING N-NW TOWARDS MARTIN STATE ARPT, AND DIRECTLY IN OUR INTENDED PATH OF FLT. AT THAT TIME, MY WIFE TOLD ME THAT SHE WAS EXPERIENCING SEVERE PAIN IN HER EARS. I CONCLUDED THAT IT WAS NOT POSSIBLE TO REACH OUR INTENDED DEST BECAUSE OF THE FOG AND THE RAPIDLY DETERIORATING WX. I CONCLUDED THAT I MUST LAND AS SOON AS POSSIBLE TO ALLEVIATE THE INTENSE PAIN MY WIFE WAS EXPERIENCING. BECAUSE OF THE WX, THERE WAS NO PUBLIC USE ARPT AVAILABLE TO ME OUTSIDE OF THE ADIZ. THE FOG WAS RAPIDLY CLOSING, AND IT WAS NOT POSSIBLE FOR ME TO CIRCLE OUTSIDE OF THE ADIZ AND AWAIT AUTH TO RETURN INTO THE ADIZ. I ATTEMPTED TO CONTACT POTOMAC TO ADVISE THEM THAT I NEEDED AN IMMEDIATE RETURN TO MARTIN STATE ARPT FOR LNDG. BECAUSE OF THE CHANGING WX, THE APCH CTLR WAS OVERWHELMED WITH IFR ACFT GOING INTO BALTIMORE-WASHINGTON ARPT, AND WOULD NOT RESPOND TO MY REPEATED CALLS. I SWITCHED TO OTHER POTOMAC FREQS IN AN ATTEMPT TO ESTABLISH CONTACT AND ADVISE THEM OF THE NATURE OF MY EMER. I WAS UNABLE TO MAKE CONTACT WITH POTOMAC DESPITE MY CONTINUING EFFORTS TO DO SO. I CALLED MARTIN TWR TO ADVISE THEM THAT I NEEDED AN IMMEDIATE RETURN FOR LNDG. I GAVE THEM MY POS, AND THEY CLRED ME TO RETURN. UPON MY RETURN I WAS GIVEN A NUMBER TO CALL.

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.