RPTR FLEW VFR INTO IMC.

Narrative

ON THIS PARTICULAR DAY; I WAS RETURNING TO PELL CITY ARPT FROM CHARLESTON; SC; HAVING FILED A VFR FLT PLAN; FLYING MY CESSNA SKYLANE. AS I NEARED ANNISTON; I CHKED WX WITH ATLANTA AND FOUND THAT IT WAS MUCH WORSE THAN I HAD EXPECTED FROM MY PREFLT WX BRIEFING. HOWEVER; I HAD OVER HALF MY FUEL REMAINING; ACCORDING TO THE GAUGES; AND FELT THAT I COULD MAKE A WX CHK AT PELL CITY AND STILL HAVE PLENTY OF FUEL TO DIVERT IF NECESSARY. AS I NEARED PELL CITY; I CONTACTED BIRMINGHAM APCH CTL AND AGAIN WAS WARNED THAT THE WX WAS BELOW VFR MINIMUMS; BUT I PROCEEDED ON TO CHK FOR MYSELF. AT THIS POINT; I NOTICED THAT MY FUEL HAD DECREASED SIGNIFICANTLY TO LESS THAN A QUARTER OF A TANK ON EACH OF MY 2 GAUGES. ARRIVING AT PELL CITY; IT WAS APPARENT THAT THE WX WAS INDEED BELOW MINIMUMS FOR VFR; AND IT WAS APPARENT THAT THE FUEL HAD DECREASED RAPIDLY. I CONTACTED BIRMINGHAM APCH WHICH ASKED MY INTENTIONS; AND I INFORMED THEM THAT I NEEDED TO LAND. SOMEWHERE AMIDST ALL THE STRESS AND RADIO XMISSIONS; I FINALLY WAS PUT IN TOUCH WITH MR Y. I DECLARED AN EMER. HE IMMEDIATELY ASKED ME WHAT HE NEEDED TO KNOW TO GET A GRASP ON THE SIT AND CONFIRMED THAT I HAD PRACTICED ASR APCHS IN MY TRAINING. AT THIS POINT; HE BEGAN GIVING ME VECTORS; WHILE KEEPING ME INFORMED ABOUT THE CEILING AND VISIBILITY; AND FILLED ME IN ON THE APCH AND RWY IN USE. FOLLOWING HIS CALM LEAD; I WAS VECTORED IN FOR THE APCH AND DSNDED TO THE ALTS HE GAVE ME. THE VISIBILITY WAS SO POOR THAT I SAW THE RWY LIGHTS ONLY WHEN I WAS ALMOST ON TOP OF THEM. I NOW SPELL RELIEF 'LNDG ON THAT RWY VIA MR Y.' IT GIVES ME A HOLLOW FEELING WHEN I THINK ABOUT HOW MUCH WORSE IT COULD HAVE GOTTEN HAD I NOT BEEN GIVEN SUCH GOOD HELP BY YOUR PEOPLE.