Narrative:

Flight en route to lvn. First 35-40 mins WX 3000-4000 ft. Ceilings +6 visibility light rain. About 1/2 way through flight; checked WX with FSS princeton; mn. Reported as light rain for remainder of flight with ceilings variable 2000-4000 ft in and under minneapolis class B airspace. This was different from original brief at XA00. Called ATC for flight following and remained clear of class B airspace and VFR. Route of flight remained 20 mi west of class B in class east airspace. Between 1500-2000 ft while maneuvering south and then east to destination; clouds were 2000 ft variable; light rain. Visibility 1-3 mi. At this point there was no closer airport than fcm; which had gone IFR on lvn which reported 2300 ft scattered to broken. Stayed south of fcm class D airspace and continued 10 mi to lvn. Unable to maintain VFR during approach and landing to lvn. Visibility dropped to less than 1 mi and unable to maintain altitude of 500 ft below clouds or 2000 ft separation from clouds. In reviewing chain of events and contributing factors I should have done the following: 1) called for an updated briefing just before departure rather than rely on taf brief from the morning; 2) should have realized that the AWOS and ASOS I listened to were showing a trend of deteriorating WX and either filed in the air for IFR clearance (not IFR current) or; 3) realized while listening to center that all flts in the metropolitan area were now IFR; 4) returned to the last point where good VFR was present and landed. I had at least 60 mins of fuel on board at final destination so fuel would not have been a factor.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PA28 PLT PUSHES ON DESPITE DETERIORATING CONDITIONS. ULTIMATELY ENDS UP VFR IN IMC.

Narrative: FLT ENRTE TO LVN. FIRST 35-40 MINS WX 3000-4000 FT. CEILINGS +6 VISIBILITY LIGHT RAIN. ABOUT 1/2 WAY THROUGH FLT; CHKED WX WITH FSS PRINCETON; MN. RPTED AS LIGHT RAIN FOR REMAINDER OF FLT WITH CEILINGS VARIABLE 2000-4000 FT IN AND UNDER MINNEAPOLIS CLASS B AIRSPACE. THIS WAS DIFFERENT FROM ORIGINAL BRIEF AT XA00. CALLED ATC FOR FLT FOLLOWING AND REMAINED CLR OF CLASS B AIRSPACE AND VFR. RTE OF FLT REMAINED 20 MI W OF CLASS B IN CLASS E AIRSPACE. BTWN 1500-2000 FT WHILE MANEUVERING S AND THEN E TO DEST; CLOUDS WERE 2000 FT VARIABLE; LIGHT RAIN. VISIBILITY 1-3 MI. AT THIS POINT THERE WAS NO CLOSER ARPT THAN FCM; WHICH HAD GONE IFR ON LVN WHICH RPTED 2300 FT SCATTERED TO BROKEN. STAYED S OF FCM CLASS D AIRSPACE AND CONTINUED 10 MI TO LVN. UNABLE TO MAINTAIN VFR DURING APCH AND LNDG TO LVN. VISIBILITY DROPPED TO LESS THAN 1 MI AND UNABLE TO MAINTAIN ALT OF 500 FT BELOW CLOUDS OR 2000 FT SEPARATION FROM CLOUDS. IN REVIEWING CHAIN OF EVENTS AND CONTRIBUTING FACTORS I SHOULD HAVE DONE THE FOLLOWING: 1) CALLED FOR AN UPDATED BRIEFING JUST BEFORE DEP RATHER THAN RELY ON TAF BRIEF FROM THE MORNING; 2) SHOULD HAVE REALIZED THAT THE AWOS AND ASOS I LISTENED TO WERE SHOWING A TREND OF DETERIORATING WX AND EITHER FILED IN THE AIR FOR IFR CLRNC (NOT IFR CURRENT) OR; 3) REALIZED WHILE LISTENING TO CTR THAT ALL FLTS IN THE METRO AREA WERE NOW IFR; 4) RETURNED TO THE LAST POINT WHERE GOOD VFR WAS PRESENT AND LANDED. I HAD AT LEAST 60 MINS OF FUEL ON BOARD AT FINAL DEST SO FUEL WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN A FACTOR.

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.