Narrative:

After receiving several WX briefings at las vegas, nv I proceeded towards bakersfield to fly under the clouds, up the valley to Q62. I encountered a front approximately 40 mi from fresno. I attempted to fly over the clouds and climbed to 16500 ft, the WX closed in on me and I had only visibility of the sun. Since I was in the mountains, I was concerned that I was keeping clear of the mountains, the map showed mt whitney at 14500 ft, I misread my altimeter and thought I was at 6500 ft. I had been on radar following from las but had lost contact with service. I was able to contact fresno and asked them for help to keep me clear of terrain and told them I was at 6500 ft. I than realized I was at 16500 ft and informed them the same. Fresno was very helpful and I flew directly to fresno with limited visibility for approximately 15- 20 mins. I was never out of control and knew where I was at all times, except for concern over ht. I was on autoplt coupled with LORAN and never experienced icing nor precipitation. Because I had been advised that the valley was clear, I felt it more expedient to proceed to fresno. I also felt that, since I thought I was at 6500 ft, it would be less hazardous to proceed than to attempt a 180 degree turn and possibly experience losing control of the aircraft. After arriving at fresno or approximately 10 mi from airport, I broke out of clouds and was never in less than VFR from that point to Q62. I was advised to contact fresno and did so when I arrived at my airport. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter says that the ARTCC controllers were 'very kind' in their handling of him in the flight assist and the later communications. The fresno FSDO has offered him a 120 day suspension of his certificate which he is appealing. The FSDO suggested that he get an instrument ticket and he is starting this now. The FSDO says that, since he did not turn around, this was a deliberate act and the provisions of the ASRS do not apply. The reporter did not use his oxygen system and the FSDO thinks that he may have had a touch of hypoxia as he misread his altimeter. The reporter was in IMC for only about 15 mins. There was no icing, only greatly reduced visibility in thin clouds. ZOA was the agency that provided the flight assist. The reporter usually uses flight following in his travels.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: VFR IN IMC.

Narrative: AFTER RECEIVING SEVERAL WX BRIEFINGS AT LAS VEGAS, NV I PROCEEDED TOWARDS BAKERSFIELD TO FLY UNDER THE CLOUDS, UP THE VALLEY TO Q62. I ENCOUNTERED A FRONT APPROX 40 MI FROM FRESNO. I ATTEMPTED TO FLY OVER THE CLOUDS AND CLBED TO 16500 FT, THE WX CLOSED IN ON ME AND I HAD ONLY VISIBILITY OF THE SUN. SINCE I WAS IN THE MOUNTAINS, I WAS CONCERNED THAT I WAS KEEPING CLEAR OF THE MOUNTAINS, THE MAP SHOWED MT WHITNEY AT 14500 FT, I MISREAD MY ALTIMETER AND THOUGHT I WAS AT 6500 FT. I HAD BEEN ON RADAR FOLLOWING FROM LAS BUT HAD LOST CONTACT WITH SERVICE. I WAS ABLE TO CONTACT FRESNO AND ASKED THEM FOR HELP TO KEEP ME CLR OF TERRAIN AND TOLD THEM I WAS AT 6500 FT. I THAN REALIZED I WAS AT 16500 FT AND INFORMED THEM THE SAME. FRESNO WAS VERY HELPFUL AND I FLEW DIRECTLY TO FRESNO WITH LIMITED VISIBILITY FOR APPROX 15- 20 MINS. I WAS NEVER OUT OF CTL AND KNEW WHERE I WAS AT ALL TIMES, EXCEPT FOR CONCERN OVER HT. I WAS ON AUTOPLT COUPLED WITH LORAN AND NEVER EXPERIENCED ICING NOR PRECIPITATION. BECAUSE I HAD BEEN ADVISED THAT THE VALLEY WAS CLR, I FELT IT MORE EXPEDIENT TO PROCEED TO FRESNO. I ALSO FELT THAT, SINCE I THOUGHT I WAS AT 6500 FT, IT WOULD BE LESS HAZARDOUS TO PROCEED THAN TO ATTEMPT A 180 DEG TURN AND POSSIBLY EXPERIENCE LOSING CTL OF THE ACFT. AFTER ARRIVING AT FRESNO OR APPROX 10 MI FROM AIRPORT, I BROKE OUT OF CLOUDS AND WAS NEVER IN LESS THAN VFR FROM THAT POINT TO Q62. I WAS ADVISED TO CONTACT FRESNO AND DID SO WHEN I ARRIVED AT MY AIRPORT. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR SAYS THAT THE ARTCC CTLRS WERE 'VERY KIND' IN THEIR HANDLING OF HIM IN THE FLT ASSIST AND THE LATER COMS. THE FRESNO FSDO HAS OFFERED HIM A 120 DAY SUSPENSION OF HIS CERTIFICATE WHICH HE IS APPEALING. THE FSDO SUGGESTED THAT HE GET AN INSTRUMENT TICKET AND HE IS STARTING THIS NOW. THE FSDO SAYS THAT, SINCE HE DID NOT TURN AROUND, THIS WAS A DELIBERATE ACT AND THE PROVISIONS OF THE ASRS DO NOT APPLY. THE RPTR DID NOT USE HIS OXYGEN SYS AND THE FSDO THINKS THAT HE MAY HAVE HAD A TOUCH OF HYPOXIA AS HE MISREAD HIS ALTIMETER. THE RPTR WAS IN IMC FOR ONLY ABOUT 15 MINS. THERE WAS NO ICING, ONLY GREATLY REDUCED VISIBILITY IN THIN CLOUDS. ZOA WAS THE AGENCY THAT PROVIDED THE FLT ASSIST. THE RPTR USUALLY USES FLT FOLLOWING IN HIS TRAVELS.

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.