A student pilot entered clouds while trying to climb over them while on a solo cross country flight....

Attributes
ACN	334649
Time
Date	199604
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : s33
State Reference	OR
Altitude	msl bound lower : 11200 msl bound upper : 11200
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zse
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : student
ASRS Report	334649
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : weather inflight encounter : vfr in imc non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : provided flight assist other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I was on a heading of 242 degrees from pendleton to independence at 8500 ft. There was a 25 mph headwind with clear skies. After passing maypin I could see a haze and some clouds ahead. At this time I climbed to 10500 ft to get over the clouds. Eventually, I reached 11200 ft, but still ended up in the clouds. I thought I could fly through because at first the clouds were thin. Quickly I realized that I was flying blindly and requested help from ZSE. The controller stayed with me and after about 8-10 mins brought me down to 8000 ft and I could see through and it was clear at a lower altitude so I dropped down to 7600 ft and VFR conditions. I made several mistakes during this flight. The first was that I did not get a new WX report after I left independence, 5 hours earlier. The original WX report called for thin clouds at 12000 ft to 14000 ft. At pendleton I only requested a wind report. The second mistake was that I flew into the clouds instead of turning around and finding a different airport at which to land. Actually, I should have broken off the flight as soon as I could see the clouds ahead. I probably could have flown to the dalles and followed the columbia river at a much lower VFR altitude. It would have been a longer but safer flight.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A STUDENT PLT ENTERED CLOUDS WHILE TRYING TO CLB OVER THEM WHILE ON A SOLO XCOUNTRY FLT. HE REQUESTED HELP FROM THE CTR CTLR AND RECEIVED ASSISTANCE UNTIL IN VFR CONDITIONS.

Narrative: I WAS ON A HDG OF 242 DEGS FROM PENDLETON TO INDEPENDENCE AT 8500 FT. THERE WAS A 25 MPH HEADWIND WITH CLR SKIES. AFTER PASSING MAYPIN I COULD SEE A HAZE AND SOME CLOUDS AHEAD. AT THIS TIME I CLBED TO 10500 FT TO GET OVER THE CLOUDS. EVENTUALLY, I REACHED 11200 FT, BUT STILL ENDED UP IN THE CLOUDS. I THOUGHT I COULD FLY THROUGH BECAUSE AT FIRST THE CLOUDS WERE THIN. QUICKLY I REALIZED THAT I WAS FLYING BLINDLY AND REQUESTED HELP FROM ZSE. THE CTLR STAYED WITH ME AND AFTER ABOUT 8-10 MINS BROUGHT ME DOWN TO 8000 FT AND I COULD SEE THROUGH AND IT WAS CLR AT A LOWER ALT SO I DROPPED DOWN TO 7600 FT AND VFR CONDITIONS. I MADE SEVERAL MISTAKES DURING THIS FLT. THE FIRST WAS THAT I DID NOT GET A NEW WX RPT AFTER I LEFT INDEPENDENCE, 5 HRS EARLIER. THE ORIGINAL WX RPT CALLED FOR THIN CLOUDS AT 12000 FT TO 14000 FT. AT PENDLETON I ONLY REQUESTED A WIND RPT. THE SECOND MISTAKE WAS THAT I FLEW INTO THE CLOUDS INSTEAD OF TURNING AROUND AND FINDING A DIFFERENT ARPT AT WHICH TO LAND. ACTUALLY, I SHOULD HAVE BROKEN OFF THE FLT AS SOON AS I COULD SEE THE CLOUDS AHEAD. I PROBABLY COULD HAVE FLOWN TO THE DALLES AND FOLLOWED THE COLUMBIA RIVER AT A MUCH LOWER VFR ALT. IT WOULD HAVE BEEN A LONGER BUT SAFER FLT.

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.

A student pilot entered clouds while trying to climb over them while on a solo cross country flight. He requested help from the center controller and received assistance until in VFR conditions.