PIPE LINE PATROL ACFT HAS FLT ASSIST; EMER AS WX DETERIORATES.

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I HAVE FLOWN PIPE LINE PATROL FOR OVER 9 YRS WITH 3 COMPANIES FOR OVER 8000 HRS OF FLYING TIME. MY TKOF FROM ILG HAD BEEN DELAYED DUE TO LOW CEILINGS AND VISIBILITY. BY NOW ILG; BWI AND DCA WERE ALL RPTING VFR. IAD WAS STILL IFR. OUR LINE RUNS N OF BWI AND CURVES SW BTWN IAD AND DCA. I HAD BEEN ASSIGNED ADDITIONAL LINE TO FLY AND WAS FEELING PUSHED TO COMPLETE MY RUN SO I TOOK OFF AT NOON FROM ILG. I COMPLETED MY LATERAL LINES AROUND BWI AND MADE MY TURN TOWARD DULLES; VISIBILITY AND CEILING STARTED DROPPING. I REALIZED THAT A 180 DEG TURN WOULD BE DANGEROUS SO I BEGAN AN IMMEDIATE CLB WHILE CONTACTING BWI APCH. THEY HAD ME SQUAWK 7700 AND I SHOT AN UNEVENTFUL ILS TO BWI WHICH WAS STILL VFR. 2 THINGS STOOD OUT TO ME FROM THIS INCIDENT. 1) NOT TO ALLOW PRESSURE FROM YOUR COMPANY EITHER REAL OR IMAGINED TO CAUSE ME TO PRESS ON FURTHER THAN IS WISE. I AM USUALLY VERY CAREFUL TO LEAVE AN 'OUT' IN EVERY FLYING SIT. THERE HAS BEEN A LOT OF CONFLICT IN MY FLT DEPT AND STRESS ASSOCIATED WITH IT. ALL OF US IN THE PATROL DEPT HAVE FELT PRESSURE TO GET THE RUN COMPLETED AS MGMNT HAS ADDED MORE AND MORE LINE TO FLY. 2) WHEN IN TROUBLE; IT'S IMPORTANT TO CALL FOR HELP QUICKLY RATHER THAN DELAY AND RISK FURTHER OR INCREASED DANGER TO MYSELF AND OTHERS. ONCE I REALIZED WHAT I HAD DONE; I CALLED BWI APCH TO GET HELP. I THINK OTHER PLTS HAVE TRIED TO WORK THEIR WAY OUT OF TOUGH SITS AND WERE AFRAID TO CALL FOR HELP.