Narrative:

On oct/wed/89, I unintentionally flew into IFR WX. The incident took place while on a trip from salinas to santa monica where I planned to pick up my daughter and immediately return to salinas. I was concerned about the afternoon WX in salinas because of the forecasted stratus conditions. Therefore, I wanted to leave as soon as possible. I took off from salinas airport at XA05. The conditions were marginal VFR (fog) with broken ceiling of 1000'. I requested a left turn departure on runway 26 (runway in use). While on runway I saw blue skies straight out and very hazy conditions to my left. I decided to climb to the blue skies before making my left departure to the south for my destination santa monica. I did not inform tower of my new intentions. At 800' tower requested that I make my left turn. My response was negative because by that time I was trying to stay clear of clouds. I continued to climb at my small aircraft best angle of climb but soon realized I could not outclb the incoming fog. I was in total IFR conditions for at least 15 seconds, which seemed like 15 minutes. I continued to climb and kept wings level by watching flight instruments and prayed no one else was in that fog bank. After breaking out I made my left turn and headed southeast. After returning from trip I took time to review the situation and tried to study all the factors that contributed to this incident. 1) I should have waited another 1/2 hour. My judgement was affected by my concern of the afternoon WX. 2) after takeoff a left turn at 800' would have placed me in very hazy VFR conditions but I would have avoided IFR fog. 3) should have requested runway 13. No wind. 4) I should have reported to tower change in plans (straight out) and when I entered IFR conditions.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: VFR FLT IN IMC.

Narrative: ON OCT/WED/89, I UNINTENTIONALLY FLEW INTO IFR WX. THE INCIDENT TOOK PLACE WHILE ON A TRIP FROM SALINAS TO SANTA MONICA WHERE I PLANNED TO PICK UP MY DAUGHTER AND IMMEDIATELY RETURN TO SALINAS. I WAS CONCERNED ABOUT THE AFTERNOON WX IN SALINAS BECAUSE OF THE FORECASTED STRATUS CONDITIONS. THEREFORE, I WANTED TO LEAVE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. I TOOK OFF FROM SALINAS ARPT AT XA05. THE CONDITIONS WERE MARGINAL VFR (FOG) WITH BROKEN CEILING OF 1000'. I REQUESTED A LEFT TURN DEP ON RWY 26 (RWY IN USE). WHILE ON RWY I SAW BLUE SKIES STRAIGHT OUT AND VERY HAZY CONDITIONS TO MY LEFT. I DECIDED TO CLIMB TO THE BLUE SKIES BEFORE MAKING MY LEFT DEP TO THE S FOR MY DEST SANTA MONICA. I DID NOT INFORM TWR OF MY NEW INTENTIONS. AT 800' TWR REQUESTED THAT I MAKE MY LEFT TURN. MY RESPONSE WAS NEGATIVE BECAUSE BY THAT TIME I WAS TRYING TO STAY CLEAR OF CLOUDS. I CONTINUED TO CLIMB AT MY SMA BEST ANGLE OF CLIMB BUT SOON REALIZED I COULD NOT OUTCLB THE INCOMING FOG. I WAS IN TOTAL IFR CONDITIONS FOR AT LEAST 15 SECONDS, WHICH SEEMED LIKE 15 MINUTES. I CONTINUED TO CLIMB AND KEPT WINGS LEVEL BY WATCHING FLT INSTRUMENTS AND PRAYED NO ONE ELSE WAS IN THAT FOG BANK. AFTER BREAKING OUT I MADE MY LEFT TURN AND HEADED SE. AFTER RETURNING FROM TRIP I TOOK TIME TO REVIEW THE SITUATION AND TRIED TO STUDY ALL THE FACTORS THAT CONTRIBUTED TO THIS INCIDENT. 1) I SHOULD HAVE WAITED ANOTHER 1/2 HR. MY JUDGEMENT WAS AFFECTED BY MY CONCERN OF THE AFTERNOON WX. 2) AFTER TKOF A LEFT TURN AT 800' WOULD HAVE PLACED ME IN VERY HAZY VFR CONDITIONS BUT I WOULD HAVE AVOIDED IFR FOG. 3) SHOULD HAVE REQUESTED RWY 13. NO WIND. 4) I SHOULD HAVE REPORTED TO TWR CHANGE IN PLANS (STRAIGHT OUT) AND WHEN I ENTERED IFR CONDITIONS.

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.