Instructor pilot pushes WX and deliberately enters IMC when operating VFR.

Attributes
ACN	155656
Time
Date	199008
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : pdk
State Reference	GA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 1800 msl bound upper : 3000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : atl
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude cruise other descent other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	instruction : instructor oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 750
ASRS Report	155656
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot instruction : trainee
Qualification	pilot : student
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : weather inflight encounter : vfr in imc non adherence : far other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

The flight was a VFR training flight. The student and I were departing to the northwest of pdk to practice ground reference maneuvers. Conditions at pdk were 2000' scattered, 4 mi visibility in fog and haze. As we proceeded northwest, the ceiling became broken and visibility became about 3 mi. Due to our proximity to the ground, my first choice was to climb through a hole in the ceiling. From below the bases the tops did not appear to be very high and a tops report from tower before we departed placed them at 3000' MSL. We started our climb, which I initiated with a vx climb speed. At 2500' MSL we entered the clouds. I continued the climb using INS reference (I am IFR current). I expected a breakout at about 3000' MSL. At 3200' MSL we were still IMC. At this point I felt it would be safer to descend back down to VFR conditions than to continue to climb IMC. I initiated a descending 360 degree spiral down to 2000' MSL. I am very familiar with the area and know the highest obstacle for that area is 1425' MSL. At 2000' MSL we were below the ceiling in 2 mi visibility fog and haze. We proceeded back direct to pdk and visibility improved to 3 mi, in about 2-3 mi.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: INSTRUCTOR PLT PUSHES WX AND DELIBERATELY ENTERS IMC WHEN OPERATING VFR.

Narrative: THE FLT WAS A VFR TRNING FLT. THE STUDENT AND I WERE DEPARTING TO THE NW OF PDK TO PRACTICE GND REF MANEUVERS. CONDITIONS AT PDK WERE 2000' SCATTERED, 4 MI VISIBILITY IN FOG AND HAZE. AS WE PROCEEDED NW, THE CEILING BECAME BROKEN AND VISIBILITY BECAME ABOUT 3 MI. DUE TO OUR PROX TO THE GND, MY FIRST CHOICE WAS TO CLB THROUGH A HOLE IN THE CEILING. FROM BELOW THE BASES THE TOPS DID NOT APPEAR TO BE VERY HIGH AND A TOPS RPT FROM TWR BEFORE WE DEPARTED PLACED THEM AT 3000' MSL. WE STARTED OUR CLB, WHICH I INITIATED WITH A VX CLB SPD. AT 2500' MSL WE ENTERED THE CLOUDS. I CONTINUED THE CLB USING INS REF (I AM IFR CURRENT). I EXPECTED A BREAKOUT AT ABOUT 3000' MSL. AT 3200' MSL WE WERE STILL IMC. AT THIS POINT I FELT IT WOULD BE SAFER TO DSND BACK DOWN TO VFR CONDITIONS THAN TO CONTINUE TO CLB IMC. I INITIATED A DSNDING 360 DEG SPIRAL DOWN TO 2000' MSL. I AM VERY FAMILIAR WITH THE AREA AND KNOW THE HIGHEST OBSTACLE FOR THAT AREA IS 1425' MSL. AT 2000' MSL WE WERE BELOW THE CEILING IN 2 MI VISIBILITY FOG AND HAZE. WE PROCEEDED BACK DIRECT TO PDK AND VISIBILITY IMPROVED TO 3 MI, IN ABOUT 2-3 MI.

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.