B06 pilot inadvertently flies into IMC on night flight over unlit rural area.

Attributes
ACN	621217
Time
Date	200406
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0001 To 0600
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	msl single value : 1300
Environment
Flight Conditions	Marginal
Weather Elements	other
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Jet Ranger/Kiowa/206
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 135
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 45 flight time total : 4800 flight time type : 1200
ASRS Report	621217
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : vfr in imc inflight encounter : weather non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : provided flight assist
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Weather Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Weather

Narrative:

En route, encountered unforecasted WX and inadvertently entered IMC conditions. Was able to climb to 2500 ft MSL and get VFR over top. I was able to contact approach, update WX and request radar vectors for an ASR approach. Unable to get an ASR approach and requested radar vectors to VFR conditions. Given a heading of 020 degrees and was able to break out into VFR conditions 20 mi south of the field. What caused the problem was the reduction of lighted surface references once I had left the city area. There are a lot of black hole areas out there in the rural areas that are dangerous. Got to always be one step ahead of the game and have several contingency plans available and ready to execute.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B06 PLT INADVERTENTLY FLIES INTO IMC ON NIGHT FLT OVER UNLIT RURAL AREA.

Narrative: ENRTE, ENCOUNTERED UNFORECASTED WX AND INADVERTENTLY ENTERED IMC CONDITIONS. WAS ABLE TO CLB TO 2500 FT MSL AND GET VFR OVER TOP. I WAS ABLE TO CONTACT APCH, UPDATE WX AND REQUEST RADAR VECTORS FOR AN ASR APCH. UNABLE TO GET AN ASR APCH AND REQUESTED RADAR VECTORS TO VFR CONDITIONS. GIVEN A HDG OF 020 DEGS AND WAS ABLE TO BREAK OUT INTO VFR CONDITIONS 20 MI S OF THE FIELD. WHAT CAUSED THE PROB WAS THE REDUCTION OF LIGHTED SURFACE REFS ONCE I HAD LEFT THE CITY AREA. THERE ARE A LOT OF BLACK HOLE AREAS OUT THERE IN THE RURAL AREAS THAT ARE DANGEROUS. GOT TO ALWAYS BE ONE STEP AHEAD OF THE GAME AND HAVE SEVERAL CONTINGENCY PLANS AVAILABLE AND READY TO EXECUTE.

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.