Ron Garret writes:

If you can't see anything out the window and you are VFR then you're
already screwed. Time to declare an emergency.

Well, if you are equipped for instrument flight and rated for it and
there isn't too much traffic, I wouldn't call it an emergency,
although you do need to get flight separation services or get back to
VMC as quickly as possible.

I have no idea what you mean by 'flying IFR "unofficially"'.

Flying using instruments even though you haven't filed an instrument
flight plan. For example, my habit of flying with a GPS or by
following VORs rather than looking for landmarks out the window.

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