BE55 private pilot enters restr area in deteriorating WX while avoiding terrain.

Attributes
ACN	690284
Time
Date	200603
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : prb.airport
State Reference	CA
Altitude	agl single value : 1000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Marginal
Weather Elements	Rain
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Baron 55/Cochise
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Navigation In Use	other
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 : 70 flight time total : 1500 flight time type : 800
ASRS Report	690284
Events
Anomaly	airspace violation : entry inflight encounter : vfr in imc non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : exited penetrated airspace flight crew : diverted to another airport
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Weather
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

While attempting to scud run; rain caused the visibility to decrease to below VFR minimums. I was getting uncomfortable and had made the decision to turn around. I was so busy concentrating on avoiding hills and looking for obstacles that I did a slow turn into a MOA/restr area without knowing if they were hot or cold. I was also very low 1000 ft and by now had gone below VFR visibility minimums. My options were rapidly diminishing. I was very fortunate to be able to make it back to an airport without any further incident. I am sure people on the freeway below me were wondering what I was doing. I should have waited a few hours to make the flight. I was in get thereitis mode!

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: BE55 PVT PLT ENTERS RESTR AREA IN DETERIORATING WX WHILE AVOIDING TERRAIN.

Narrative: WHILE ATTEMPTING TO SCUD RUN; RAIN CAUSED THE VISIBILITY TO DECREASE TO BELOW VFR MINIMUMS. I WAS GETTING UNCOMFORTABLE AND HAD MADE THE DECISION TO TURN AROUND. I WAS SO BUSY CONCENTRATING ON AVOIDING HILLS AND LOOKING FOR OBSTACLES THAT I DID A SLOW TURN INTO A MOA/RESTR AREA WITHOUT KNOWING IF THEY WERE HOT OR COLD. I WAS ALSO VERY LOW 1000 FT AND BY NOW HAD GONE BELOW VFR VISIBILITY MINIMUMS. MY OPTIONS WERE RAPIDLY DIMINISHING. I WAS VERY FORTUNATE TO BE ABLE TO MAKE IT BACK TO AN ARPT WITHOUT ANY FURTHER INCIDENT. I AM SURE PEOPLE ON THE FREEWAY BELOW ME WERE WONDERING WHAT I WAS DOING. I SHOULD HAVE WAITED A FEW HRS TO MAKE THE FLT. I WAS IN GET THEREITIS MODE!

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.