Narrative:

This incident occurred during planned VFR flight from pvg to cmi. I had created an IFR flight plan with duats and had a printed copy in my flight bag. But I had failed to file this flight plan. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and I believed I could complete this flight under VFR conditions. I departed the airport and proceeded northbound. My plan was to first fly north, to circumnav the remnants of a tropical storm that was moving north from the south, then turn west after clearing the northern, leading edge. Once I was in the air, I saw that flying north would not be possible, because my path was blocked by a line of significant cells. So I chose to fly west first, then north after I cleared these cells. But I found no clear path around them after turning the corner. And in no time at all, I faced 4 challenges: 1) unable to remain in VFR conditions. I was not on an IFR clearance so I couldn't continue IFR. 2) lost the display on my radar. I couldn't find my way on my own through the serious WX. 3) closing on the R-6602 military restr airspace. 4) unable to maintain altitude due to turbulence. Through this process I was in radio and radar contact with ATC. Rather than contend with these 4 challenges, I confessed my predicament to ATC, declared an emergency and requested vectors to the nearest airport with an instrument approach along a route that would keep me out of the heaviest WX. In a few mins I was in smoother air. The controller asked if I was still in an emergency situation and I told her I was not. Then I proceeded to hnz where I made an uneventful landing.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF PA60 FINDS HIMSELF UNABLE TO REMAIN IN VMC WHILE ATTEMPTING TO FLY AROUND WX.

Narrative: THIS INCIDENT OCCURRED DURING PLANNED VFR FLT FROM PVG TO CMI. I HAD CREATED AN IFR FLT PLAN WITH DUATS AND HAD A PRINTED COPY IN MY FLT BAG. BUT I HAD FAILED TO FILE THIS FLT PLAN. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME AND I BELIEVED I COULD COMPLETE THIS FLT UNDER VFR CONDITIONS. I DEPARTED THE ARPT AND PROCEEDED NBOUND. MY PLAN WAS TO FIRST FLY N, TO CIRCUMNAV THE REMNANTS OF A TROPICAL STORM THAT WAS MOVING N FROM THE S, THEN TURN W AFTER CLEARING THE NORTHERN, LEADING EDGE. ONCE I WAS IN THE AIR, I SAW THAT FLYING N WOULD NOT BE POSSIBLE, BECAUSE MY PATH WAS BLOCKED BY A LINE OF SIGNIFICANT CELLS. SO I CHOSE TO FLY W FIRST, THEN N AFTER I CLRED THESE CELLS. BUT I FOUND NO CLR PATH AROUND THEM AFTER TURNING THE CORNER. AND IN NO TIME AT ALL, I FACED 4 CHALLENGES: 1) UNABLE TO REMAIN IN VFR CONDITIONS. I WAS NOT ON AN IFR CLRNC SO I COULDN'T CONTINUE IFR. 2) LOST THE DISPLAY ON MY RADAR. I COULDN'T FIND MY WAY ON MY OWN THROUGH THE SERIOUS WX. 3) CLOSING ON THE R-6602 MIL RESTR AIRSPACE. 4) UNABLE TO MAINTAIN ALT DUE TO TURB. THROUGH THIS PROCESS I WAS IN RADIO AND RADAR CONTACT WITH ATC. RATHER THAN CONTEND WITH THESE 4 CHALLENGES, I CONFESSED MY PREDICAMENT TO ATC, DECLARED AN EMER AND REQUESTED VECTORS TO THE NEAREST ARPT WITH AN INST APCH ALONG A RTE THAT WOULD KEEP ME OUT OF THE HEAVIEST WX. IN A FEW MINS I WAS IN SMOOTHER AIR. THE CTLR ASKED IF I WAS STILL IN AN EMER SIT AND I TOLD HER I WAS NOT. THEN I PROCEEDED TO HNZ WHERE I MADE AN UNEVENTFUL LNDG.

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.