Narrative:

I flew the aircraft below a 600' broken ceiling staying clear of clouds with a 5-8 mi visibility. I consider the area to be noncongested area. Route of flight was from 7d2 to ptk which is about 12 NM. Made contact with the tower and asked for a special VFR clearance into the control zone. Tower said 'remain at 2000' or below and stay 5 mi south, southeast of the airport. So I complied with the tower, remaining 12 DME from pontiac VORTAC and southeast which would be more than 5 mi away from airport and clear of control zone. While holding in this area, I accidentally flew into a cloud, but by executing a 180 degree turn I was clear of clouds again. This problem was brought to my attention by a bloomfield hills police officer, who found me through the help of the control tower. Conversation was by telephone and I believe the officer and I resolved the matter. At the time I thought it was the correct thing to have done and don't believe that any regulations were broken. The only problem with this could have been the safety of people on the surface and to myself, because at 500' above the surface recover from a spin or engine failure doesn't leave you with very much time for decisions. I feel my performance levels were near there best but could have had more sleep the night before. The purpose of this flight was to take the IFR oral examination with the FAA at pontiac, mi.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LOW ALT VFR FLT IN IMC.

Narrative: I FLEW THE ACFT BELOW A 600' BROKEN CEILING STAYING CLR OF CLOUDS WITH A 5-8 MI VISIBILITY. I CONSIDER THE AREA TO BE NONCONGESTED AREA. RTE OF FLT WAS FROM 7D2 TO PTK WHICH IS ABOUT 12 NM. MADE CONTACT WITH THE TWR AND ASKED FOR A SPECIAL VFR CLRNC INTO THE CTL ZONE. TWR SAID 'REMAIN AT 2000' OR BELOW AND STAY 5 MI S, SE OF THE ARPT. SO I COMPLIED WITH THE TWR, REMAINING 12 DME FROM PONTIAC VORTAC AND SE WHICH WOULD BE MORE THAN 5 MI AWAY FROM ARPT AND CLR OF CTL ZONE. WHILE HOLDING IN THIS AREA, I ACCIDENTALLY FLEW INTO A CLOUD, BUT BY EXECUTING A 180 DEG TURN I WAS CLR OF CLOUDS AGAIN. THIS PROB WAS BROUGHT TO MY ATTN BY A BLOOMFIELD HILLS POLICE OFFICER, WHO FOUND ME THROUGH THE HELP OF THE CTL TWR. CONVERSATION WAS BY TELEPHONE AND I BELIEVE THE OFFICER AND I RESOLVED THE MATTER. AT THE TIME I THOUGHT IT WAS THE CORRECT THING TO HAVE DONE AND DON'T BELIEVE THAT ANY REGS WERE BROKEN. THE ONLY PROB WITH THIS COULD HAVE BEEN THE SAFETY OF PEOPLE ON THE SURFACE AND TO MYSELF, BECAUSE AT 500' ABOVE THE SURFACE RECOVER FROM A SPIN OR ENG FAILURE DOESN'T LEAVE YOU WITH VERY MUCH TIME FOR DECISIONS. I FEEL MY PERFORMANCE LEVELS WERE NEAR THERE BEST BUT COULD HAVE HAD MORE SLEEP THE NIGHT BEFORE. THE PURPOSE OF THIS FLT WAS TO TAKE THE IFR ORAL EXAM WITH THE FAA AT PONTIAC, 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.