IMC in VFR flight.

Attributes
ACN	199949
Time
Date	199201
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : mlb
State Reference	FL
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2200 msl bound upper : 2200
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : mlb tower : int
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 2 flight time total : 5200 flight time type : 800
ASRS Report	199949
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : vfr in imc inflight encounter other non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

After takeoff from mlb I was climbing in an aircraft to 3000 ft MSL to go to the practice area. It was clear skies with what looked like a haze level at 2200 ft. As I turned wbound I could see it was more than haze, it was a broken layer about 300 ft thick. I thought I could climb up before I reached the clouds. I did not and penetrated the cloud. I had forgotten how little climb performance my aircraft has. I should have descended and stayed below the clouds or climbed on my easterly heading thus maintaining proper cloud clearance limits. No other aircraft were involved.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: IMC IN VFR FLT.

Narrative: AFTER TKOF FROM MLB I WAS CLBING IN AN ACFT TO 3000 FT MSL TO GO TO THE PRACTICE AREA. IT WAS CLR SKIES WITH WHAT LOOKED LIKE A HAZE LEVEL AT 2200 FT. AS I TURNED WBOUND I COULD SEE IT WAS MORE THAN HAZE, IT WAS A BROKEN LAYER ABOUT 300 FT THICK. I THOUGHT I COULD CLB UP BEFORE I REACHED THE CLOUDS. I DID NOT AND PENETRATED THE CLOUD. I HAD FORGOTTEN HOW LITTLE CLB PERFORMANCE MY ACFT HAS. I SHOULD HAVE DSNDED AND STAYED BELOW THE CLOUDS OR CLBED ON MY EASTERLY HDG THUS MAINTAINING PROPER CLOUD CLRNC LIMITS. NO OTHER ACFT WERE INVOLVED.

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.