Narrative:

Took off from tus, climbed to 4500' on V66 to gbn under broken to scattered clouds. At about 20 NM climbed to 6500'. At 40 NM out I could see a very low ceiling ahead and determined I couldn't make it under the clouds and would return to tus. On turning around I saw a section of blue sky above and decided to go up and see if I could continue west. I climbed to about 14000' and saw obscure stratus to the north from below me to as high as I could see, the south edge running approximately along my course with solid cumulus below and south and scattered cumulus ahead. It looked like by following the south edge of the stratus I could make it to gbn and clear WX to the west. As I proceeded west going up and down to avoid the cumulus the stratus on the north edged me further south, and by the time I determined I couldn't stay near my planned route, it was too late to turn around and risk coming down through ice and clouds going back to tus. I continued on but the south edge of the stratus took me further south. Finally the top of the stratus lowered so I could head northwest toward blh. The stratus soon dissipated and I descended into clear air to blh and 29 palms and on into santa monica. This was a very stressful flight, maneuvering around clouds, turbulence, and the sun in my eyes. I didn't have time to use the charts and all the navaids to know my exact location at all times. My main concern was staying VFR. I must have entered the restr areas and possible entered mexican airspace. I realize my first mistake was not returning to tus. If I had any idea the clouds went so far south I wouldn't have left tus. A satellite picture or WX map would probably have given me that information. I sure learned a lesson from that trip.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF SMA ATTEMPTED TO CIRCUMNAVIGATED WX, CLOUDS, BUILDUPS, INADVERTENTLY ENTERED RESTRICTED AREA.

Narrative: TOOK OFF FROM TUS, CLBED TO 4500' ON V66 TO GBN UNDER BROKEN TO SCATTERED CLOUDS. AT ABOUT 20 NM CLBED TO 6500'. AT 40 NM OUT I COULD SEE A VERY LOW CEILING AHEAD AND DETERMINED I COULDN'T MAKE IT UNDER THE CLOUDS AND WOULD RETURN TO TUS. ON TURNING AROUND I SAW A SECTION OF BLUE SKY ABOVE AND DECIDED TO GO UP AND SEE IF I COULD CONTINUE W. I CLBED TO ABOUT 14000' AND SAW OBSCURE STRATUS TO THE N FROM BELOW ME TO AS HIGH AS I COULD SEE, THE S EDGE RUNNING APPROX ALONG MY COURSE WITH SOLID CUMULUS BELOW AND S AND SCATTERED CUMULUS AHEAD. IT LOOKED LIKE BY FOLLOWING THE S EDGE OF THE STRATUS I COULD MAKE IT TO GBN AND CLR WX TO THE W. AS I PROCEEDED W GOING UP AND DOWN TO AVOID THE CUMULUS THE STRATUS ON THE N EDGED ME FURTHER S, AND BY THE TIME I DETERMINED I COULDN'T STAY NEAR MY PLANNED ROUTE, IT WAS TOO LATE TO TURN AROUND AND RISK COMING DOWN THROUGH ICE AND CLOUDS GOING BACK TO TUS. I CONTINUED ON BUT THE S EDGE OF THE STRATUS TOOK ME FURTHER S. FINALLY THE TOP OF THE STRATUS LOWERED SO I COULD HEAD NW TOWARD BLH. THE STRATUS SOON DISSIPATED AND I DSNDED INTO CLEAR AIR TO BLH AND 29 PALMS AND ON INTO SANTA MONICA. THIS WAS A VERY STRESSFUL FLT, MANEUVERING AROUND CLOUDS, TURB, AND THE SUN IN MY EYES. I DIDN'T HAVE TIME TO USE THE CHARTS AND ALL THE NAVAIDS TO KNOW MY EXACT LOCATION AT ALL TIMES. MY MAIN CONCERN WAS STAYING VFR. I MUST HAVE ENTERED THE RESTR AREAS AND POSSIBLE ENTERED MEXICAN AIRSPACE. I REALIZE MY FIRST MISTAKE WAS NOT RETURNING TO TUS. IF I HAD ANY IDEA THE CLOUDS WENT SO FAR S I WOULDN'T HAVE LEFT TUS. A SATELLITE PICTURE OR WX MAP WOULD PROBABLY HAVE GIVEN ME THAT INFO. I SURE LEARNED A LESSON FROM THAT TRIP.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 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.