Narrative:

Running scud from anza-borrego desert with another home built following 2MI behind, entered a valley and ceiling came down to meet me. Small mountains extending into cloud close aboard either side. Decided to climb on 270 degree magnetic where I knew there were no mountains. Called approach (san), explained situation and approach gave me a heading and followed my climb on top. Cleared marine layer at 7500' MSL, then went VFR to brown field. Entered clouds at 3500', cleared tops at 7500'. I made the decision to climb through the clouds rather than drop back down or turn around in the cloud due to the close proximity of the mountains on either side of the valley. Factors for decision to continue: 1) LORAN read 10 NM to ramona airport, the outskirts of ramona city were below me. 2) visibility was good below the cloud deck. 3) I am very familiar with the local terrain as I visit ramona field 3-4 times/month. 4) the ceiling had been remaining a constant AGL until I turned into the valley, where it came down rapidly. I believe it must have been near ground level. I could not see this until I turned a sharp left-hand turn into the valley. Lessons learned: 1) no mountain scud-running!! 2) I carry 4-12 hours fuel typically. VFR on top would have been the better decision that day--VFR on top to find a hole to spiral down through.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PVT PLT ENCOUNTERS IMC IN MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN. CLIMBS INTO CLOUDS, CONTACTS TRACON. REACHES VFR ON TOP.

Narrative: RUNNING SCUD FROM ANZA-BORREGO DESERT WITH ANOTHER HOME BUILT FOLLOWING 2MI BEHIND, ENTERED A VALLEY AND CEILING CAME DOWN TO MEET ME. SMALL MOUNTAINS EXTENDING INTO CLOUD CLOSE ABOARD EITHER SIDE. DECIDED TO CLB ON 270 DEG MAG WHERE I KNEW THERE WERE NO MOUNTAINS. CALLED APCH (SAN), EXPLAINED SITUATION AND APCH GAVE ME A HDG AND FOLLOWED MY CLB ON TOP. CLRED MARINE LAYER AT 7500' MSL, THEN WENT VFR TO BROWN FIELD. ENTERED CLOUDS AT 3500', CLRED TOPS AT 7500'. I MADE THE DECISION TO CLB THROUGH THE CLOUDS RATHER THAN DROP BACK DOWN OR TURN AROUND IN THE CLOUD DUE TO THE CLOSE PROX OF THE MOUNTAINS ON EITHER SIDE OF THE VALLEY. FACTORS FOR DECISION TO CONTINUE: 1) LORAN READ 10 NM TO RAMONA ARPT, THE OUTSKIRTS OF RAMONA CITY WERE BELOW ME. 2) VISIBILITY WAS GOOD BELOW THE CLOUD DECK. 3) I AM VERY FAMILIAR WITH THE LCL TERRAIN AS I VISIT RAMONA FIELD 3-4 TIMES/MONTH. 4) THE CEILING HAD BEEN REMAINING A CONSTANT AGL UNTIL I TURNED INTO THE VALLEY, WHERE IT CAME DOWN RAPIDLY. I BELIEVE IT MUST HAVE BEEN NEAR GND LEVEL. I COULD NOT SEE THIS UNTIL I TURNED A SHARP LEFT-HAND TURN INTO THE VALLEY. LESSONS LEARNED: 1) NO MOUNTAIN SCUD-RUNNING!! 2) I CARRY 4-12 HRS FUEL TYPICALLY. VFR ON TOP WOULD HAVE BEEN THE BETTER DECISION THAT DAY--VFR ON TOP TO FIND A HOLE TO SPIRAL DOWN THROUGH.

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.