Narrative:

En route to houston weiser from new orleans with VFR flight following, cleared into the houston TCA at my cruising altitude of 4500'. As approaching humble VOR at hou noticed small cloud at my altitude. Advised houston approach that I was instrument rated and equipped and would like lower to remain VFR. I was cleared down to 3000'. I descended just before coming to the cloud. As I noticed that I had leveled off at 2800', approach asked altitude and I replied 2800', and that I would require lower to remain VFR. I was given instructions to descend at discretion and a verbal reprimand for missing the assigned altitude, and for not advising ATC sooner of my VFR requirements. The primary cause of the problem was my not advising ATC sooner of the impending cloud, although I called them as soon as I confirmed that we would enter. Secondary cause was my not filing and flying on an instrument flight plan, which was decided on because: 1) I have experienced delays in receiving clrncs. 2) I don't have storm scope or radar and use visibility circuit breaker avoidance, and 3) don't trust ATC guys advisories for circuit breaker avoidance. 4) had non-flying passenger on board and didn't want to expose them to circuit breaker turbulence or extended IMC operations. 5) recent instrument rating with little actual, and am reluctant to do hard IFR at night in a single with no WX avoidance gear. Question: would it have been easier or simpler or even possible for approach to allow or clear me into the cloud as descent was coordinated since I advised them immediately that I was IFR rated and equipped? (Am sure not possible on such short notice). Summary: missed assigned altitude by 200'. 30 seconds in IMC. No conflict. Should have been on IFR flight plan. I'm still learning.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: OVERSHOOT ON ALT DUE TO WX OR CLOUD AVOIDANCE DURING DESCENT TO HARD ALT.

Narrative: ENRTE TO HOUSTON WEISER FROM NEW ORLEANS WITH VFR FLT FOLLOWING, CLRED INTO THE HOUSTON TCA AT MY CRUISING ALT OF 4500'. AS APCHING HUMBLE VOR AT HOU NOTICED SMALL CLOUD AT MY ALT. ADVISED HOUSTON APCH THAT I WAS INSTRUMENT RATED AND EQUIPPED AND WOULD LIKE LOWER TO REMAIN VFR. I WAS CLRED DOWN TO 3000'. I DSNDED JUST BEFORE COMING TO THE CLOUD. AS I NOTICED THAT I HAD LEVELED OFF AT 2800', APCH ASKED ALT AND I REPLIED 2800', AND THAT I WOULD REQUIRE LOWER TO REMAIN VFR. I WAS GIVEN INSTRUCTIONS TO DSND AT DISCRETION AND A VERBAL REPRIMAND FOR MISSING THE ASSIGNED ALT, AND FOR NOT ADVISING ATC SOONER OF MY VFR REQUIREMENTS. THE PRIMARY CAUSE OF THE PROB WAS MY NOT ADVISING ATC SOONER OF THE IMPENDING CLOUD, ALTHOUGH I CALLED THEM AS SOON AS I CONFIRMED THAT WE WOULD ENTER. SECONDARY CAUSE WAS MY NOT FILING AND FLYING ON AN INSTRUMENT FLT PLAN, WHICH WAS DECIDED ON BECAUSE: 1) I HAVE EXPERIENCED DELAYS IN RECEIVING CLRNCS. 2) I DON'T HAVE STORM SCOPE OR RADAR AND USE VIS CB AVOIDANCE, AND 3) DON'T TRUST ATC GUYS ADVISORIES FOR CB AVOIDANCE. 4) HAD NON-FLYING PAX ON BOARD AND DIDN'T WANT TO EXPOSE THEM TO CB TURB OR EXTENDED IMC OPS. 5) RECENT INSTRUMENT RATING WITH LITTLE ACTUAL, AND AM RELUCTANT TO DO HARD IFR AT NIGHT IN A SINGLE WITH NO WX AVOIDANCE GEAR. QUESTION: WOULD IT HAVE BEEN EASIER OR SIMPLER OR EVEN POSSIBLE FOR APCH TO ALLOW OR CLR ME INTO THE CLOUD AS DSCNT WAS COORDINATED SINCE I ADVISED THEM IMMEDIATELY THAT I WAS IFR RATED AND EQUIPPED? (AM SURE NOT POSSIBLE ON SUCH SHORT NOTICE). SUMMARY: MISSED ASSIGNED ALT BY 200'. 30 SECS IN IMC. NO CONFLICT. SHOULD HAVE BEEN ON IFR FLT PLAN. I'M STILL LEARNING.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.