An small transport cpr pilot may have been IMC in VFR flight.

Attributes
ACN	281932
Time
Date	199409
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ict
State Reference	KS
Altitude	agl bound lower : 1000 agl bound upper : 1000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : ict tower : sea
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise other ground : preflight other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 50 flight time total : 2900 flight time type : 600
ASRS Report	281932
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	other personnel other
Qualification	other
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : weather inflight encounter : vfr in imc non adherence : far
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 WX at wichita had been poor since morning. I waited all morning and half the afternoon watching the WX creep up to VFR minimums, which I needed for my ferry flight. At about 1500 hours the field went VFR and the WX southeast (in my direction of flight) remained VFR (it had been for most of the day). I decided to depart and stay low and VFR until I got a few mi out of ict, then climb when I encountered the scattered clouds and higher ceilings I had assumed from my talks with FSS. Unfortunately my assumptions were wrong. Although the WX was much higher 60 NM ese of ict, it was not in between there and ict. I found myself trying to maintain safe clearance from the ground at the same time as maintaining my distance from the cloud layer above me. Before I finally found a 'hole' large enough to climb through, I believe I compromised that distance from clouds which regulations require. I think more patience in the future is needed before I can call myself a professional pilot. I am very glad to be writing this instead of becoming a statistical tragedy of 'continued VFR flight into IFR conditions.'

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN SMT CPR PLT MAY HAVE BEEN IMC IN VFR FLT.

Narrative: THE WX AT WICHITA HAD BEEN POOR SINCE MORNING. I WAITED ALL MORNING AND HALF THE AFTERNOON WATCHING THE WX CREEP UP TO VFR MINIMUMS, WHICH I NEEDED FOR MY FERRY FLT. AT ABOUT 1500 HRS THE FIELD WENT VFR AND THE WX SE (IN MY DIRECTION OF FLT) REMAINED VFR (IT HAD BEEN FOR MOST OF THE DAY). I DECIDED TO DEPART AND STAY LOW AND VFR UNTIL I GOT A FEW MI OUT OF ICT, THEN CLB WHEN I ENCOUNTERED THE SCATTERED CLOUDS AND HIGHER CEILINGS I HAD ASSUMED FROM MY TALKS WITH FSS. UNFORTUNATELY MY ASSUMPTIONS WERE WRONG. ALTHOUGH THE WX WAS MUCH HIGHER 60 NM ESE OF ICT, IT WAS NOT IN BTWN THERE AND ICT. I FOUND MYSELF TRYING TO MAINTAIN SAFE CLRNC FROM THE GND AT THE SAME TIME AS MAINTAINING MY DISTANCE FROM THE CLOUD LAYER ABOVE ME. BEFORE I FINALLY FOUND A 'HOLE' LARGE ENOUGH TO CLB THROUGH, I BELIEVE I COMPROMISED THAT DISTANCE FROM CLOUDS WHICH REGS REQUIRE. I THINK MORE PATIENCE IN THE FUTURE IS NEEDED BEFORE I CAN CALL MYSELF A PROFESSIONAL PLT. I AM VERY GLAD TO BE WRITING THIS INSTEAD OF BECOMING A STATISTICAL TRAGEDY OF 'CONTINUED VFR FLT INTO IFR CONDITIONS.'

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.