A VFR PA32 pilot encountered IMC descending into ZZZ1 and so diverted receiving SVFR vectors to ZZZ.

Attributes
ACN	654863
Time
Date	200504
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	agl single value : 1000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Weather Elements	Snow
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : zzz.tower
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	PA-32 Cherokee Six/Lance/Saratoga
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : relief pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 24.8 flight time total : 595 flight time type : 67.2
ASRS Report	654863
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : vfr in imc inflight encounter : weather non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : diverted to another airport flight crew : exited adverse environment
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Weather
Primary Problem	Weather

Narrative:

On a return cross country flight; I found myself inadvertently flying into very marginal VFR conditions 40 mi north of ZZZ1. I descended to 1000 ft AGL over the lake and flat terrain to maintain 8 mi visibility and ground contact. I realized that I was flying into rain showers that reduced visibility to 1 or 2 mi. I still had good ground contact. I elected to discontinue my approach to ZZZ1 which was still reporting VFR but might have required flying through more rain showers/poor visibility; and diverted to ZZZ. ZZZ airport was reporting 6 mi visibility and 900 ft ceilings and IFR. The tower waited for me to request SVFR and then vectored me in. To have avoided this; I should have not passed beyond my personal minimums (which are above VFR minimums); made sure I had sufficient fuel to a pre-selected easy VFR alternate; not get caught flying below a low ceiling which is lower than surrounding terrain; essentially blocking my route to an alternate airfield. I was mentally prepared and had reviewed several alternates but was still fixated on my intended destination. Prolonged VFR flight into deteriorating conditions -- bad idea.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A VFR PA32 PLT ENCOUNTERED IMC DSNDING INTO ZZZ1 AND SO DIVERTED RECEIVING SVFR VECTORS TO ZZZ.

Narrative: ON A RETURN XCOUNTRY FLT; I FOUND MYSELF INADVERTENTLY FLYING INTO VERY MARGINAL VFR CONDITIONS 40 MI N OF ZZZ1. I DSNDED TO 1000 FT AGL OVER THE LAKE AND FLAT TERRAIN TO MAINTAIN 8 MI VISIBILITY AND GND CONTACT. I REALIZED THAT I WAS FLYING INTO RAIN SHOWERS THAT REDUCED VISIBILITY TO 1 OR 2 MI. I STILL HAD GOOD GND CONTACT. I ELECTED TO DISCONTINUE MY APCH TO ZZZ1 WHICH WAS STILL RPTING VFR BUT MIGHT HAVE REQUIRED FLYING THROUGH MORE RAIN SHOWERS/POOR VISIBILITY; AND DIVERTED TO ZZZ. ZZZ ARPT WAS RPTING 6 MI VISIBILITY AND 900 FT CEILINGS AND IFR. THE TWR WAITED FOR ME TO REQUEST SVFR AND THEN VECTORED ME IN. TO HAVE AVOIDED THIS; I SHOULD HAVE NOT PASSED BEYOND MY PERSONAL MINIMUMS (WHICH ARE ABOVE VFR MINIMUMS); MADE SURE I HAD SUFFICIENT FUEL TO A PRE-SELECTED EASY VFR ALTERNATE; NOT GET CAUGHT FLYING BELOW A LOW CEILING WHICH IS LOWER THAN SURROUNDING TERRAIN; ESSENTIALLY BLOCKING MY RTE TO AN ALTERNATE AIRFIELD. I WAS MENTALLY PREPARED AND HAD REVIEWED SEVERAL ALTERNATES BUT WAS STILL FIXATED ON MY INTENDED DEST. PROLONGED VFR FLT INTO DETERIORATING CONDITIONS -- BAD IDEA.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.