Date: 201505
Local time of day: 1201-1800
Location: IND.TRACON, IN
Flight conditions: Marginal
Light: Daylight
Aircraft: Small Aircraft; High Wing; 1 Eng; Retractable Gear
Operating under: Part 91
Flight plan: VFR
Flight phase: Landing
Airspace: Class C IND
ATC / advisory: Tower IND
Reporter organization: Government
Reporter function: Approach
Reporter qualification: Air Traffic Control Fully Certified
Human factors: Situational Awareness; Time Pressure
Second reporter function: Supervisor / CIC
Anomaly: ATC Issue All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural FAR; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Inflight Event / Encounter VFR In IMC
Detector: Person Flight Crew
When detected: In-flight
Result: Air Traffic Control Provided Assistance; Flight Crew Requested ATC Assistance / Clarification
Contributing factors: Weather
Primary problem: Weather

Narrative: I was paged back 15 minutes into eating my lunch due to an aircraft in distress. Aircraft X was stuck on top of overcast; not IFR qualified; and running low on gas. By the time I got in DRE controller had already gotten the basic info and we started trying to find any airports that were VFR. Neither us nor surrounding facilities had one without an overcast layer. IND was reporting the best weather; SCT010 BKN015 OVC020.  I was put on position to work only Aircraft X and given a controller who was IFR rated as an assist. We vectored the aircraft for the ILS 32 since it was the closest and we wanted a second chance before fuel ran out. We gave him the approach info and learned the co-pilot had some basic instrument training. The TRACON worked together to keep other aircraft away from him. We got him established on the LOC; slowed and gear down and we brought him to the MVA; continuously soliciting base reports from aicraft operating at IND. At the marker I issued descent to the DH rounded up to 1;300 feet. We helped give small corrections as he drifted back and forth on the LOC. He got the ground and runway in sight out of 1;900 feet and landed without incident.[Recommend] just keep staffing the FAA with dedicated people who come together when it matters.


Second narrative: Aircraft X called IND Approach requesting assistance. Pilot stated they were VFR at 7;500 feet and needed help finding a hole through the clouds. After checking with surrounding facilities; it was determined no VFR weather was present in the area. Pilot-in-command was VFR only. Co-pilot was also VFR only; but had received some IFR training. Aircraft X elected to land at IND; which had the best weather at the time. Reported 60 min fuel and 2 SOB. STN position assumed responsibility for aircraft X. The aircraft was vectored to Runway 32 localizer while above clouds; then advised to configure for descent. Arriving A319 reported ceiling FL021. Aircraft X was able to see the airport on approximately 4nm final and landed safely. Aircraft and Rescue Fire Fighters (ARFF) responded as a precaution.I was Front Line Manager (FLM) at the time; actively monitoring the Departure Radar East (DRE) position. Typical traffic [on this day]; during MVFR weather; requires only one radar position in the Tracon. The DRE controller was moderately busy; but certainly not overworked. However; the sudden presence of a situation required additional resources. Within 5 minutes; I had recalled employees to open 2 other positions; one to work arrivals; and one position to exclusively work the aircraft.In hindsight; my biggest concern is not having the positions de-combined at the time the incident began. However; under most normal circumstances; this would never be necessary. The arrival data position was not busy at all; I may be more likely to use that person to staff a radar position in the future; and have ad combined to a radar function.


Synopsis: IND TRACON Controller and Front Line Manager (FLM) report of a pilot that was not IFR rated had to descend in IFR conditions due to weather. ATC got the aircraft down to decision height where the pilot could see the runway and landed without incident.