Narrative:

I called the WX-brief number this morning (XA15) and obtained the recorded briefing for 50 mile radius of ZZZ because I was flying at ZZZ1. I had a plane reserved from XB00 through XD00. The briefing indicated the WX was 5 SM; 5000 ft; mist changing to 4 SM; 500 ft; mist between XE00 and XH00. Since the briefing indicated that the WX would go sour half way through the period I went to the airport to do touch and go's. By the time I reached treetop level (XB35) visibility ahead was extremely gray; but there wasn't sufficient runway to land; and by the time I reached the end of the runway; I was in soup. (At this point; I knew I would need help.) I tried to remain in the traffic pattern; maintaining wings level and altitude at or above 1100 ft MSL looking for an opening (using my instrument training and trying to prevent spatial disorientation). I dialed 121.5 MHZ into the radio and placed a mayday call: 'mayday; mayday; mayday. Aircraft ABC123 stuck in clouds. I need help. Mayday; mayday; mayday.' I heard no reply but concentrated on aviating and navigating. When no opening appeared; I climbed to where I was above the clouds and circled looking for an opening. Not finding on I headed north to the lake and flew 1/2 mile out; east and west; looking for some sign of clearing. At times I could see inland for 1/2 mile but could not see the airport. After 15 mins; I placed another mayday call on 121.5 MHZ. 'Mayday; mayday; mayday. Aircraft ABC123 stuck above clouds. I need help. Mayday; mayday; mayday.' ZZZ tower picked me up and asked what they could do to help. I requested vectoring to ZZZ1. They had me squawk 7700 and complied and when I was a mile from the airport; they inquired if I could see the airport. I admitted that I couldn't see through the cloud cover. Tower then inquired if I would like ZZZ2 or ZZZ3. I indicated either. They called ZZZ2 and found the weather there to be as bad as ZZZ1. The ceiling at ZZZ3 was 600 ft but improving so; I was vectored to ZZZ3. I landed and reported to the tower. I was introduced to everyone there; questioned on the communications since a plane over the ocean also heard my call. I indicated I heard both responses but concentrated on ZZZ3. Tower said they don't get many low level emergency calls from the area and were concerned that I could hear them. At XE25 I left ZZZ3 en route to ZZZ1 and arrived there with no further difficulties. How the problem arose: I failed to speak with a WX briefer who could have advised VFR flight not recommended. I didn't have a list of navigation/communications frequencies along the route of flight readily available because I didn't expect to need them doing touch and go's in the traffic pattern. Corrective action: maintained wings level flight. Climbed to 'clear on top' and to improve line of sight communications. Realized I was in an emergency situation and sought assistance. Human performance considerations: perception: while driving to the airport; the WX didn't appear too bad for touch and go's in the traffic pattern. Judgement: failure to realize the insidious nature of WX at an airport so close to a lake. Decisions: not a good idea to launch.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A VFR PA28 PLT IN THE VICINITY OF ZZZ WAS CAUGHT IMC. DECLARED AN EMER AND GIVEN VECTOR TO A VFR ARPT.

Narrative: I CALLED THE WX-BRIEF NUMBER THIS MORNING (XA15) AND OBTAINED THE RECORDED BRIEFING FOR 50 MILE RADIUS OF ZZZ BECAUSE I WAS FLYING AT ZZZ1. I HAD A PLANE RESERVED FROM XB00 THROUGH XD00. THE BRIEFING INDICATED THE WX WAS 5 SM; 5000 FT; MIST CHANGING TO 4 SM; 500 FT; MIST BETWEEN XE00 AND XH00. SINCE THE BRIEFING INDICATED THAT THE WX WOULD GO SOUR HALF WAY THROUGH THE PERIOD I WENT TO THE ARPT TO DO TOUCH AND GO'S. BY THE TIME I REACHED TREETOP LEVEL (XB35) VISIBILITY AHEAD WAS EXTREMELY GRAY; BUT THERE WASN'T SUFFICIENT RWY TO LAND; AND BY THE TIME I REACHED THE END OF THE RWY; I WAS IN SOUP. (AT THIS POINT; I KNEW I WOULD NEED HELP.) I TRIED TO REMAIN IN THE TFC PATTERN; MAINTAINING WINGS LEVEL AND ALT AT OR ABOVE 1100 FT MSL LOOKING FOR AN OPENING (USING MY INSTRUMENT TRAINING AND TRYING TO PREVENT SPATIAL DISORIENTATION). I DIALED 121.5 MHZ INTO THE RADIO AND PLACED A MAYDAY CALL: 'MAYDAY; MAYDAY; MAYDAY. ACFT ABC123 STUCK IN CLOUDS. I NEED HELP. MAYDAY; MAYDAY; MAYDAY.' I HEARD NO REPLY BUT CONCENTRATED ON AVIATING AND NAVIGATING. WHEN NO OPENING APPEARED; I CLBED TO WHERE I WAS ABOVE THE CLOUDS AND CIRCLED LOOKING FOR AN OPENING. NOT FINDING ON I HEADED N TO THE LAKE AND FLEW 1/2 MILE OUT; E AND W; LOOKING FOR SOME SIGN OF CLRING. AT TIMES I COULD SEE INLAND FOR 1/2 MILE BUT COULD NOT SEE THE ARPT. AFTER 15 MINS; I PLACED ANOTHER MAYDAY CALL ON 121.5 MHZ. 'MAYDAY; MAYDAY; MAYDAY. ACFT ABC123 STUCK ABOVE CLOUDS. I NEED HELP. MAYDAY; MAYDAY; MAYDAY.' ZZZ TWR PICKED ME UP AND ASKED WHAT THEY COULD DO TO HELP. I REQUESTED VECTORING TO ZZZ1. THEY HAD ME SQUAWK 7700 AND COMPLIED AND WHEN I WAS A MILE FROM THE AIRPORT; THEY INQUIRED IF I COULD SEE THE AIRPORT. I ADMITTED THAT I COULDN'T SEE THROUGH THE CLOUD COVER. TOWER THEN INQUIRED IF I WOULD LIKE ZZZ2 OR ZZZ3. I INDICATED EITHER. THEY CALLED ZZZ2 AND FOUND THE WEATHER THERE TO BE AS BAD AS ZZZ1. THE CEILING AT ZZZ3 WAS 600 FT BUT IMPROVING SO; I WAS VECTORED TO ZZZ3. I LANDED AND RPTED TO THE TOWER. I WAS INTRODUCED TO EVERYONE THERE; QUESTIONED ON THE COMS SINCE A PLANE OVER THE OCEAN ALSO HEARD MY CALL. I INDICATED I HEARD BOTH RESPONSES BUT CONCENTRATED ON ZZZ3. TOWER SAID THEY DON'T GET MANY LOW LEVEL EMER CALLS FROM THE AREA AND WERE CONCERNED THAT I COULD HEAR THEM. AT XE25 I LEFT ZZZ3 ENRTE TO ZZZ1 AND ARRIVED THERE WITH NO FURTHER DIFFICULTIES. HOW THE PROB AROSE: I FAILED TO SPEAK WITH A WX BRIEFER WHO COULD HAVE ADVISED VFR FLT NOT RECOMMENDED. I DIDN'T HAVE A LIST OF NAVIGATION/COMS FREQUENCIES ALONG THE RTE OF FLT READILY AVAILABLE BECAUSE I DIDN'T EXPECT TO NEED THEM DOING TOUCH AND GO'S IN THE TFC PATTERN. CORRECTIVE ACTION: MAINTAINED WINGS LEVEL FLT. CLBED TO 'CLR ON TOP' AND TO IMPROVE LINE OF SIGHT COMS. REALIZED I WAS IN AN EMER SIT AND SOUGHT ASSISTANCE. HUMAN PERFORMANCE CONSIDERATIONS: PERCEPTION: WHILE DRIVING TO THE ARPT; THE WX DIDN'T APPEAR TOO BAD FOR TOUCH AND GO'S IN THE TFC PATTERN. JUDGEMENT: FAILURE TO REALIZE THE INSIDIOUS NATURE OF WX AT AN ARPT SO CLOSE TO A LAKE. DECISIONS: NOT A GOOD IDEA TO LAUNCH.

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.