BE36 private pilot encounters IMC while operating VFR.

Attributes
ACN	688719
Time
Date	200602
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	msl single value : 10500
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Weather Elements	Rain Ice
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Bonanza 36
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 3 flight time total : 1614 flight time type : 1483
ASRS Report	688719
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : vfr in imc
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : provided flight assist flight crew : diverted to another airport flight crew : exited adverse environment flight crew : declared emergency
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Weather
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

The purpose of this first solo flight was to repos the airplane 35 NM to my home airport where ATIS reported 2600 ft scattered; 4000 ft broken; and 10 NM visibility at 15 mins prior to departure. A fast moving front blocked the direct route; so I climbed to 10500 ft to divert around the front and over class B airspace; which at the time had clear sunshine and good visibility. Within 8 NM of the destination airport; I turned around to return to the departure airport because ATIS was now reporting 6000 ft overcast. This is when it started to go bad for this VFR only pilot. Clouds were forming all around me and my windscreen became covered with ice. Squawking 7700 and requesting help on 121.5; ATC instructed me to climb on top to 14500 ft. They found only 2 VFR airports; the closest was 200 NM away and a successful landing was made there. I learned that I should have turned around sooner to return to the departure airport after seeing that the direct route was blocked. But more important; I learned that the mind stops functioning well when you begin to panic. Although I turned on pitot heat; I forgot to engage the autoplt; which I had promised myself I would do if I ever got into this kind of situation. Contributing factors were low flight experience hours during the prior 5 1/2 months and the new avionics.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: BE36 PVT PLT ENCOUNTERS IMC WHILE OPERATING VFR.

Narrative: THE PURPOSE OF THIS FIRST SOLO FLT WAS TO REPOS THE AIRPLANE 35 NM TO MY HOME ARPT WHERE ATIS RPTED 2600 FT SCATTERED; 4000 FT BROKEN; AND 10 NM VISIBILITY AT 15 MINS PRIOR TO DEP. A FAST MOVING FRONT BLOCKED THE DIRECT RTE; SO I CLBED TO 10500 FT TO DIVERT AROUND THE FRONT AND OVER CLASS B AIRSPACE; WHICH AT THE TIME HAD CLR SUNSHINE AND GOOD VISIBILITY. WITHIN 8 NM OF THE DEST ARPT; I TURNED AROUND TO RETURN TO THE DEP ARPT BECAUSE ATIS WAS NOW RPTING 6000 FT OVCST. THIS IS WHEN IT STARTED TO GO BAD FOR THIS VFR ONLY PLT. CLOUDS WERE FORMING ALL AROUND ME AND MY WINDSCREEN BECAME COVERED WITH ICE. SQUAWKING 7700 AND REQUESTING HELP ON 121.5; ATC INSTRUCTED ME TO CLB ON TOP TO 14500 FT. THEY FOUND ONLY 2 VFR ARPTS; THE CLOSEST WAS 200 NM AWAY AND A SUCCESSFUL LNDG WAS MADE THERE. I LEARNED THAT I SHOULD HAVE TURNED AROUND SOONER TO RETURN TO THE DEP ARPT AFTER SEEING THAT THE DIRECT RTE WAS BLOCKED. BUT MORE IMPORTANT; I LEARNED THAT THE MIND STOPS FUNCTIONING WELL WHEN YOU BEGIN TO PANIC. ALTHOUGH I TURNED ON PITOT HEAT; I FORGOT TO ENGAGE THE AUTOPLT; WHICH I HAD PROMISED MYSELF I WOULD DO IF I EVER GOT INTO THIS KIND OF SITUATION. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WERE LOW FLT EXPERIENCE HRS DURING THE PRIOR 5 1/2 MONTHS AND THE NEW AVIONICS.

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.