Narrative:

ZME had a 30 min hold on all IFR releases. I knew that the 30 min hold could result in us having to wait another 60 mins. This would result in my passenger missing their business meeting. I quizzed a cessna 172 that was shooting touch-and-goes what the bases of the clouds were. His reply was around 1500 ft AGL. I departed olv VFR and climbed to 1200 ft MSL, well below the class B airspace of memphis. I then turned northeast to north to stay in the pattern at olive branch, ms. I requested my IFR clearance from memphis departure at 1200 ft MSL. They cleared me to 2000 ft and requested a heading of 090 degrees which I complied with. They then gave me a TA on a saab at 3000 ft MSL in our 12-3 O'clock position. This traffic I could see since I was below a scattered cloud base 500 ft but VFR. After passing the scattered cloud base the controller asked what VFR altitude I requested. My co-captain said 17500 ft which was possible since we were near scattered and broken cloud layers and could see plenty of blue sky. A short time later I was cleared IFR to FL330 direct pocket city VOR. The memphis controller told me to contact the control tower by phone when possible. I immediately called and was informed by an approach control supervisor that he was turning paperwork in against me. I was also informed by the tower supervisor that a person who is with the FAA was at the olive branch airport when I departed, said it appeared that I had entered the clouds VFR.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CITATION JET POSSIBLE VFR IN IMC.

Narrative: ZME HAD A 30 MIN HOLD ON ALL IFR RELEASES. I KNEW THAT THE 30 MIN HOLD COULD RESULT IN US HAVING TO WAIT ANOTHER 60 MINS. THIS WOULD RESULT IN MY PAX MISSING THEIR BUSINESS MEETING. I QUIZZED A CESSNA 172 THAT WAS SHOOTING TOUCH-AND-GOES WHAT THE BASES OF THE CLOUDS WERE. HIS REPLY WAS AROUND 1500 FT AGL. I DEPARTED OLV VFR AND CLBED TO 1200 FT MSL, WELL BELOW THE CLASS B AIRSPACE OF MEMPHIS. I THEN TURNED NE TO N TO STAY IN THE PATTERN AT OLIVE BRANCH, MS. I REQUESTED MY IFR CLRNC FROM MEMPHIS DEP AT 1200 FT MSL. THEY CLRED ME TO 2000 FT AND REQUESTED A HDG OF 090 DEGS WHICH I COMPLIED WITH. THEY THEN GAVE ME A TA ON A SAAB AT 3000 FT MSL IN OUR 12-3 O'CLOCK POS. THIS TFC I COULD SEE SINCE I WAS BELOW A SCATTERED CLOUD BASE 500 FT BUT VFR. AFTER PASSING THE SCATTERED CLOUD BASE THE CTLR ASKED WHAT VFR ALT I REQUESTED. MY CO-CAPT SAID 17500 FT WHICH WAS POSSIBLE SINCE WE WERE NEAR SCATTERED AND BROKEN CLOUD LAYERS AND COULD SEE PLENTY OF BLUE SKY. A SHORT TIME LATER I WAS CLRED IFR TO FL330 DIRECT POCKET CITY VOR. THE MEMPHIS CTLR TOLD ME TO CONTACT THE CTL TWR BY PHONE WHEN POSSIBLE. I IMMEDIATELY CALLED AND WAS INFORMED BY AN APCH CTL SUPVR THAT HE WAS TURNING PAPERWORK IN AGAINST ME. I WAS ALSO INFORMED BY THE TWR SUPVR THAT A PERSON WHO IS WITH THE FAA WAS AT THE OLIVE BRANCH ARPT WHEN I DEPARTED, SAID IT APPEARED THAT I HAD ENTERED THE CLOUDS VFR.

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.