Small aircraft pilot on multi engine instructor check ride climbs into clouds, immediately descends.

Attributes
ACN	154392
Time
Date	199008
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : cmi
State Reference	IL
Altitude	msl bound lower : 5400 msl bound upper : 5400
Environment
Flight Conditions	Marginal
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : cmi
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 2 Eng, Retractable Gear
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude cruise other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 20 flight time total : 250 flight time type : 17
ASRS Report	154392
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	observation : company check pilot
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : vfr in imc non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Champaign tower was calling the ceiling at 10000' thin scattered with overlying overcast. It was very hard to distinguish distance from clouds. I was on a multi-engine instrument certificate (rating) ride was talking to de and we went in to the ceiling. I realized that we had gone into the clouds. I started an immediate descent to 1000' below the overcast. It all happened in about 3 mins.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA PLT ON MULTI ENGINE INSTRUCTOR CHECK RIDE CLIMBS INTO CLOUDS, IMMEDIATELY DESCENDS.

Narrative: CHAMPAIGN TWR WAS CALLING THE CEILING AT 10000' THIN SCATTERED WITH OVERLYING OVCST. IT WAS VERY HARD TO DISTINGUISH DISTANCE FROM CLOUDS. I WAS ON A MULTI-ENG INSTR CERTIFICATE (RATING) RIDE WAS TALKING TO DE AND WE WENT IN TO THE CEILING. I REALIZED THAT WE HAD GONE INTO THE CLOUDS. I STARTED AN IMMEDIATE DSNT TO 1000' BELOW THE OVCST. IT ALL HAPPENED IN ABOUT 3 MINS.

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.