Narrative:

On may/sat/96 I had planned a VFR flight from srq to cdk with a stop at spg to pick up an additional passenger. I obtained a standard VFR WX briefing from the spg FSS. The FSS advised me that spg had indicated VFR between XA10 am and XA15 am, with 700 ft scattered. After obtaining the WX briefing, I called a flying club in st petersburg to confirm the WX and to ensure that the 700 ft scattered was, in fact, scattered. The club employee advised me that there were only a few clouds at about 1000 ft. I departed srq on a VFR flight direct to spg. Approximately 10 mi north of srq, I encountered a scud layer. Since I could not fly above the scud layer because of the tampa class B airspace above me at 1200 ft, I descended to 500 ft, approximately 500 ft below the layer. Visibility was approximately 3-5 mi. I contacted spg tower. Upon inquiry, I advised that I was at 500 ft. Spg directed me to enter a right downwind for runway 18 and I acknowledged. As I passed the scud layer, I climbed back to 800 ft, which is traffic pattern altitude. I noticed a layer of haze ahead which exhibited decreased visibility, however, I could still make out the field, although vaguely. When I entered the haze, visibility decreased to 2-3 mi. Once in the haze, I realized that it was mixed with fog. I started to descend, and continued descending to 400 ft. During the descent, I inadvertently encountered a cloud (scud) to my right. The scud had been hidden by the haze and fog. Although I did not enter the cloud, I was only about 100-200 ft west of it. I turned west to fly away from the cloud and, as I did so, I almost entered another cloud, so I had to turn back to the east. I did have visual contact with the airport during this maneuvering. The tower must have seen the problem I was having and offered me a straight-in to runway 36, which I accepted with a minimal tailwind. I did not advise the tower of the conditions because of fear of possible FAA involvement, however, I did call FSS and immediately gave them a PIREP. I asked pie FSS what the WX was at spg. They told me that it was 1000 ft scattered. I advised them that it was not an accurate report and his response was, 'well, that's the official report.' I have lost some faith in our FSS and airport WX reports.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A LOW TIME SMA PLT FOUND HIMSELF VFR IN IMC. THE ATCT PROVIDED A FLT ASSIST TO SAFELY CONCLUDE THIS EPISODE.

Narrative: ON MAY/SAT/96 I HAD PLANNED A VFR FLT FROM SRQ TO CDK WITH A STOP AT SPG TO PICK UP AN ADDITIONAL PAX. I OBTAINED A STANDARD VFR WX BRIEFING FROM THE SPG FSS. THE FSS ADVISED ME THAT SPG HAD INDICATED VFR BTWN XA10 AM AND XA15 AM, WITH 700 FT SCATTERED. AFTER OBTAINING THE WX BRIEFING, I CALLED A FLYING CLUB IN ST PETERSBURG TO CONFIRM THE WX AND TO ENSURE THAT THE 700 FT SCATTERED WAS, IN FACT, SCATTERED. THE CLUB EMPLOYEE ADVISED ME THAT THERE WERE ONLY A FEW CLOUDS AT ABOUT 1000 FT. I DEPARTED SRQ ON A VFR FLT DIRECT TO SPG. APPROX 10 MI N OF SRQ, I ENCOUNTERED A SCUD LAYER. SINCE I COULD NOT FLY ABOVE THE SCUD LAYER BECAUSE OF THE TAMPA CLASS B AIRSPACE ABOVE ME AT 1200 FT, I DSNDED TO 500 FT, APPROX 500 FT BELOW THE LAYER. VISIBILITY WAS APPROX 3-5 MI. I CONTACTED SPG TWR. UPON INQUIRY, I ADVISED THAT I WAS AT 500 FT. SPG DIRECTED ME TO ENTER A R DOWNWIND FOR RWY 18 AND I ACKNOWLEDGED. AS I PASSED THE SCUD LAYER, I CLBED BACK TO 800 FT, WHICH IS TFC PATTERN ALT. I NOTICED A LAYER OF HAZE AHEAD WHICH EXHIBITED DECREASED VISIBILITY, HOWEVER, I COULD STILL MAKE OUT THE FIELD, ALTHOUGH VAGUELY. WHEN I ENTERED THE HAZE, VISIBILITY DECREASED TO 2-3 MI. ONCE IN THE HAZE, I REALIZED THAT IT WAS MIXED WITH FOG. I STARTED TO DSND, AND CONTINUED DSNDING TO 400 FT. DURING THE DSCNT, I INADVERTENTLY ENCOUNTERED A CLOUD (SCUD) TO MY R. THE SCUD HAD BEEN HIDDEN BY THE HAZE AND FOG. ALTHOUGH I DID NOT ENTER THE CLOUD, I WAS ONLY ABOUT 100-200 FT W OF IT. I TURNED W TO FLY AWAY FROM THE CLOUD AND, AS I DID SO, I ALMOST ENTERED ANOTHER CLOUD, SO I HAD TO TURN BACK TO THE E. I DID HAVE VISUAL CONTACT WITH THE ARPT DURING THIS MANEUVERING. THE TWR MUST HAVE SEEN THE PROB I WAS HAVING AND OFFERED ME A STRAIGHT-IN TO RWY 36, WHICH I ACCEPTED WITH A MINIMAL TAILWIND. I DID NOT ADVISE THE TWR OF THE CONDITIONS BECAUSE OF FEAR OF POSSIBLE FAA INVOLVEMENT, HOWEVER, I DID CALL FSS AND IMMEDIATELY GAVE THEM A PIREP. I ASKED PIE FSS WHAT THE WX WAS AT SPG. THEY TOLD ME THAT IT WAS 1000 FT SCATTERED. I ADVISED THEM THAT IT WAS NOT AN ACCURATE RPT AND HIS RESPONSE WAS, 'WELL, THAT'S THE OFFICIAL RPT.' I HAVE LOST SOME FAITH IN OUR FSS AND ARPT WX RPTS.

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.