Narrative:

On feb/sat/95, I departed from skyharbor international, phoenix, to boulder, co. The departure was done around XA00 am. The WX was described as VFR, with a few pockets of clouds en route, which would not constitute a problem, according to the briefer. I left phoenix airport, requested flight following and climbed to 17500 ft without any problem. The visibility was greater than 50 mi, and only a few clouds were seen. Soon I was with ZAB for advisories. The flight continued in very good VFR conditions. I was passed to ZDV. About 100 NM from denver, I started to encounter a few pockets of clouds, which I needed to go around, to maintain legal distance. At one point, I had to start to descend, to stay under the clouds, still maintaining good separation, from the clouds. Then, 15 mins later, I had to descend even further, to maintain cloud separation. I noticed, then, that I was flying into an area of fog, and opted to make a 180 degree turn. I found myself trapped and I did a 360 degree turn, looking for a hole in the clouds. I was still in VFR, and found a way out, without any difficulty. I had to climb to stay on top of the clouds, and this was not just 'a few pockets of clouds.' during this time, I was in contact with ZDV. I told them that I was not able to keep VFR below FL180. I requested to climb to FL200. I was told that I had to file an IFR plan. I told them I was not IFR qualified. The controller told me he would grant permission only in an 'emergency situation.' I called them back, gave my call sign, and declared 'emergency status.' I climbed to FL210 for 15 mins. I called the center to cancel, landed at boulder municipal, and called the center up, for a report. The flight was terminated safely.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A SKYMASTER PLT, DECLARED AN EMER, IN ORDER TO REMAIN IN VFR CONDITIONS, AND CONTINUE, ENRTE, TO DEST. THE EMER WAS DECLARED SO THAT THE ACFT COULD RECEIVE A CLRNC INTO CLASS A AIRSPACE.

Narrative: ON FEB/SAT/95, I DEPARTED FROM SKYHARBOR INTL, PHOENIX, TO BOULDER, CO. THE DEP WAS DONE AROUND XA00 AM. THE WX WAS DESCRIBED AS VFR, WITH A FEW POCKETS OF CLOUDS ENRTE, WHICH WOULD NOT CONSTITUTE A PROB, ACCORDING TO THE BRIEFER. I LEFT PHOENIX ARPT, REQUESTED FLT FOLLOWING AND CLBED TO 17500 FT WITHOUT ANY PROB. THE VISIBILITY WAS GREATER THAN 50 MI, AND ONLY A FEW CLOUDS WERE SEEN. SOON I WAS WITH ZAB FOR ADVISORIES. THE FLT CONTINUED IN VERY GOOD VFR CONDITIONS. I WAS PASSED TO ZDV. ABOUT 100 NM FROM DENVER, I STARTED TO ENCOUNTER A FEW POCKETS OF CLOUDS, WHICH I NEEDED TO GAR, TO MAINTAIN LEGAL DISTANCE. AT ONE POINT, I HAD TO START TO DSND, TO STAY UNDER THE CLOUDS, STILL MAINTAINING GOOD SEPARATION, FROM THE CLOUDS. THEN, 15 MINS LATER, I HAD TO DSND EVEN FURTHER, TO MAINTAIN CLOUD SEPARATION. I NOTICED, THEN, THAT I WAS FLYING INTO AN AREA OF FOG, AND OPTED TO MAKE A 180 DEG TURN. I FOUND MYSELF TRAPPED AND I DID A 360 DEG TURN, LOOKING FOR A HOLE IN THE CLOUDS. I WAS STILL IN VFR, AND FOUND A WAY OUT, WITHOUT ANY DIFFICULTY. I HAD TO CLB TO STAY ON TOP OF THE CLOUDS, AND THIS WAS NOT JUST 'A FEW POCKETS OF CLOUDS.' DURING THIS TIME, I WAS IN CONTACT WITH ZDV. I TOLD THEM THAT I WAS NOT ABLE TO KEEP VFR BELOW FL180. I REQUESTED TO CLB TO FL200. I WAS TOLD THAT I HAD TO FILE AN IFR PLAN. I TOLD THEM I WAS NOT IFR QUALIFIED. THE CTLR TOLD ME HE WOULD GRANT PERMISSION ONLY IN AN 'EMER SIT.' I CALLED THEM BACK, GAVE MY CALL SIGN, AND DECLARED 'EMER STATUS.' I CLBED TO FL210 FOR 15 MINS. I CALLED THE CTR TO CANCEL, LANDED AT BOULDER MUNICIPAL, AND CALLED THE CTR UP, FOR A RPT. THE FLT WAS TERMINATED SAFELY.

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.