PVT PLT IN A C172 GETS LOST AFTER RUNNING INTO BAD WX AT NIGHT. NO FLT PLAN HAD BEEN FILED. PLT LOW TIME; NOT IFR RATED. WAS ON HIS WAY HOME TO ZZV FROM FL. HE HAD FAILED TO UPDATE ANY ENRTE WX.

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AFTER FSS BRIEFING SHOWING A CLR TRIP BACK TO ZZV FROM ZEPHYR HILLS; FL; ALL WAS WELL INCLUDING AN 8500 FT FLT OVER THE MOUNTAINS FROM ELKIN; NC; TO BECKLEY; WV. FUEL WAS TAKEN ON IN ELKIN AND THERE WAS AMPLE QUANTITY TO REACH OUR DEST. UPON XING THE MOUNTAINS; I DROPPED TO 4500 FT AND CONTINUED TOWARD ZZV. PARKERSBURG; WV; ARPT WAS CLRLY SEEN TO MY R. VFR CONDITIONS CONTINUED. UPON REACHING MC CONNELLSVILLE; OH; WE NOTICED A DROP IN CEILING AND FLEW AT 2500 FT TO THE RIVER. FROM THAT POINT ON; EVERYTHING WENT DARK AND VISIBILITY WENT TO '0.' I CLBED TO 4000 FT MSL AND WAS FORCED TO USE MY INSTS. EXTREME TURB MADE IT IMPOSSIBLE TO FIND AN EMER FREQ AND OUT OF DESPERATION; I CALLED MAY DAY ON 122.8; THE ONLY FREQ I HAD 'UP' AT THE TIME. SOMEONE ANSWERED (I ASSUMED TO BE ANOTHER PLANE) AND TRIED TO FIND SOMEONE TO LOCATE ME THAT I COULD FOLLOW TO SAFETY. THIS FAILED AND I WAS HANDED OFF TO FSS (WHERE?) AND AFTER AN IDENT WAS HANDED TO ZID. ZID THEN 'TALKED' ME TO PARKERSBURG; WV; ARPT WHERE I LANDED SAFELY DESPITE THE WINDSHEAR RPTED ON RWY 3. MY THANKS GO TO 'MR X' AT ZID. I OWE HIM MY LIFE.