VFR flight in IMC.

Attributes
ACN	91537
Time
Date	198806
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : lgb
State Reference	CA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 500 agl bound upper : 500
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 30 flight time total : 6000 flight time type : 1
ASRS Report	91537
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : vfr in imc non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Departed VFR from lgb for riverside at the eastern end of the la basin. It was my first flight in the area, my second in the airplane (in 4 yrs) within 30 days, and I was solo. I was going through constant iteration and reiteration trying to find myself on the chart and remain legal, ie, clear of TCA's and arsa's. With the haze and the continuous metropolitan area (initially) I was really uncomfortable with navigation and watching for aircraft. Conclusion: in the la area, don't fly VFR and don't fly west/O someone along to help you navigation and communicate and watch out! I'm an FAA inspector and it would be particularly embarrassing to have my name appear on one of the TCA/arsa violations that are processed with regularity in the la basin.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: VFR FLT IN IMC.

Narrative: DEPARTED VFR FROM LGB FOR RIVERSIDE AT THE EASTERN END OF THE LA BASIN. IT WAS MY FIRST FLT IN THE AREA, MY SECOND IN THE AIRPLANE (IN 4 YRS) WITHIN 30 DAYS, AND I WAS SOLO. I WAS GOING THROUGH CONSTANT ITERATION AND REITERATION TRYING TO FIND MYSELF ON THE CHART AND REMAIN LEGAL, IE, CLEAR OF TCA'S AND ARSA'S. WITH THE HAZE AND THE CONTINUOUS METROPOLITAN AREA (INITIALLY) I WAS REALLY UNCOMFORTABLE WITH NAV AND WATCHING FOR ACFT. CONCLUSION: IN THE LA AREA, DON'T FLY VFR AND DON'T FLY W/O SOMEONE ALONG TO HELP YOU NAV AND COMMUNICATE AND WATCH OUT! I'M AN FAA INSPECTOR AND IT WOULD BE PARTICULARLY EMBARRASSING TO HAVE MY NAME APPEAR ON ONE OF THE TCA/ARSA VIOLATIONS THAT ARE PROCESSED WITH REGULARITY IN THE LA BASIN.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 2007 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.