Narrative:

Scheduled to fly an inter-island flight. I had delayed the flight until I got a WX report from the chief pilot who just flew ZZZ1-hnl. I am also limited to fly VFR only per far 135.243. Chief pilot called; said even though flew IFR; was VMC for flight. WX was scattered and fog making visibility approximately 6 SM. I departed and got radar contact 16 NM east of ogg for advisories. There was a large cell in my flight path so I deviated north to circumnav. On the other side; there were cells all around with overcast layers above and below me. The reduced visibility made it very difficult to spot clouds to avoid them and before I knew it I was solid IMC. After 1 min or so of not breaking out; I began to change course to try and return to VMC. I was using the moving map to try and stay over water so as to not hit terrain. Between looking at that and outside to get a visual reference I became disoriented. The autoplt was deferred in the aircraft which also complicated the situation as I was hand flying. Focusing then on my instruments; I used unusual attitude recovery techniques to regain control and then found myself in a small pocket where I could see the ocean below me. I then began a spiraling descent to lose altitude and try and spot the shoreline. I also advised ATC of my intentions and that I was going to land at ogg. I finally spotted the shoreline and the visibility was no more than 2 SM where I was. I followed the shore to the airport and landed at ogg. Resources at the departure airport are limited. It is an unmanned station with no computers and there is no cell phone coverage. I used the facsimile there; which can only make local calls; to call the ogg station and have a worker relay the current WX conditions. ZZZ was reporting 3-5 SM; 1500 ft broken; marginal; but VFR. Chief pilot reported VMC; which made 'go' decision easier then (not to mention not wanting to tell the chief pilot no). I should have gotten a more thorough briefing for the entire area from FSS. I would also like to mention the VFR restrs for PIC's under far 135.243. I know that the intention is to keep less experienced pilots grounded on bad WX days; but that is not the case. Too many times now I have been told to 'just give it a shot' or 'go and see if it gets better' under VFR when being able to file IFR would be a much better and safer alternative. I am an instrument rated pilot and fully confident and capable of flying IFR; but restr and pushed to fly to the extreme limits of VFR. I would never fly with absolute uncertainty; but when under pressure; I like to have all resources available. I believe that a less experienced pilot that has shown competency under all parts applicable flying under IFR is much better than any pilot pressured to fly into marginal WX with no alternatives.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: RESTRICTED BY FARS TO FLIGHT UNDER VFR ONLY DUE TO INEXPERIENCE; PLT OF C208B FLIES INTO IMC WHEN CONVINCED BY ACR MANAGEMENT TO FLY IN MARGINAL WX.

Narrative: SCHEDULED TO FLY AN INTER-ISLAND FLT. I HAD DELAYED THE FLT UNTIL I GOT A WX RPT FROM THE CHIEF PLT WHO JUST FLEW ZZZ1-HNL. I AM ALSO LIMITED TO FLY VFR ONLY PER FAR 135.243. CHIEF PLT CALLED; SAID EVEN THOUGH FLEW IFR; WAS VMC FOR FLT. WX WAS SCATTERED AND FOG MAKING VISIBILITY APPROX 6 SM. I DEPARTED AND GOT RADAR CONTACT 16 NM E OF OGG FOR ADVISORIES. THERE WAS A LARGE CELL IN MY FLT PATH SO I DEVIATED N TO CIRCUMNAV. ON THE OTHER SIDE; THERE WERE CELLS ALL AROUND WITH OVCST LAYERS ABOVE AND BELOW ME. THE REDUCED VISIBILITY MADE IT VERY DIFFICULT TO SPOT CLOUDS TO AVOID THEM AND BEFORE I KNEW IT I WAS SOLID IMC. AFTER 1 MIN OR SO OF NOT BREAKING OUT; I BEGAN TO CHANGE COURSE TO TRY AND RETURN TO VMC. I WAS USING THE MOVING MAP TO TRY AND STAY OVER WATER SO AS TO NOT HIT TERRAIN. BTWN LOOKING AT THAT AND OUTSIDE TO GET A VISUAL REF I BECAME DISORIENTED. THE AUTOPLT WAS DEFERRED IN THE ACFT WHICH ALSO COMPLICATED THE SITUATION AS I WAS HAND FLYING. FOCUSING THEN ON MY INSTS; I USED UNUSUAL ATTITUDE RECOVERY TECHNIQUES TO REGAIN CTL AND THEN FOUND MYSELF IN A SMALL POCKET WHERE I COULD SEE THE OCEAN BELOW ME. I THEN BEGAN A SPIRALING DSCNT TO LOSE ALT AND TRY AND SPOT THE SHORELINE. I ALSO ADVISED ATC OF MY INTENTIONS AND THAT I WAS GOING TO LAND AT OGG. I FINALLY SPOTTED THE SHORELINE AND THE VISIBILITY WAS NO MORE THAN 2 SM WHERE I WAS. I FOLLOWED THE SHORE TO THE ARPT AND LANDED AT OGG. RESOURCES AT THE DEP ARPT ARE LIMITED. IT IS AN UNMANNED STATION WITH NO COMPUTERS AND THERE IS NO CELL PHONE COVERAGE. I USED THE FAX THERE; WHICH CAN ONLY MAKE LCL CALLS; TO CALL THE OGG STATION AND HAVE A WORKER RELAY THE CURRENT WX CONDITIONS. ZZZ WAS RPTING 3-5 SM; 1500 FT BROKEN; MARGINAL; BUT VFR. CHIEF PLT RPTED VMC; WHICH MADE 'GO' DECISION EASIER THEN (NOT TO MENTION NOT WANTING TO TELL THE CHIEF PLT NO). I SHOULD HAVE GOTTEN A MORE THOROUGH BRIEFING FOR THE ENTIRE AREA FROM FSS. I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO MENTION THE VFR RESTRS FOR PIC'S UNDER FAR 135.243. I KNOW THAT THE INTENTION IS TO KEEP LESS EXPERIENCED PLTS GROUNDED ON BAD WX DAYS; BUT THAT IS NOT THE CASE. TOO MANY TIMES NOW I HAVE BEEN TOLD TO 'JUST GIVE IT A SHOT' OR 'GO AND SEE IF IT GETS BETTER' UNDER VFR WHEN BEING ABLE TO FILE IFR WOULD BE A MUCH BETTER AND SAFER ALTERNATIVE. I AM AN INST RATED PLT AND FULLY CONFIDENT AND CAPABLE OF FLYING IFR; BUT RESTR AND PUSHED TO FLY TO THE EXTREME LIMITS OF VFR. I WOULD NEVER FLY WITH ABSOLUTE UNCERTAINTY; BUT WHEN UNDER PRESSURE; I LIKE TO HAVE ALL RESOURCES AVAILABLE. I BELIEVE THAT A LESS EXPERIENCED PLT THAT HAS SHOWN COMPETENCY UNDER ALL PARTS APPLICABLE FLYING UNDER IFR IS MUCH BETTER THAN ANY PLT PRESSURED TO FLY INTO MARGINAL WX WITH NO ALTERNATIVES.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 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.