Narrative:

Our flight departed 3i7 wbound for a day VFR training flight then proceeded to day for touch-and-goes. Shortly after arriving at day, the WX began to deteriorate south and west of the field. We advised tower of the worsening conditions and proceeded toward 3i7, approximately 7 mi west of day. When 2 mi west of day, I requested a SVFR clearance due to a ceiling of approximately 1100 ft AGL and worsening visibility. The request was granted and we remained at 1650 ft MSL passing near the outskirts of union, oh, which lies just within the day class C surface area, at an altitude of approximately 700 ft AGL en route to 3i7. The concern was this. A SVFR clearance allows 'clear of clouds' only within the class C surface area. Union, the only congested area I was unable to avoid en route to 3i7, lies just inside the edge of day's class C surface area. Once clear of that area, class east airspace begins at 700 ft AGL and within that airspace I must be 500 ft below any clouds. Since that requirement could not be satisfied, I had to remain in class G, below 700 ft AGL, and 'clear of clouds.' ground level is between approximately 950- 1050 ft between day and 3i7. Furthermore, while over congested areas, like union, I am required to be 1000 ft above the highest obstacle within a 2000 ft radius of the aircraft. Had I been the 1000 ft AGL over union, I could not have descended quickly enough to be in class G upon crossing the day class C boundary. The result was this. We passed near the outskirts of union at approximately 700 ft AGL, and remained at 600 ft AGL over the noncongested areas between union and 3i7. In the future I will keep a closer eye to the WX and not attempt a return home if conditions look questionable. After landing, the student and I discussed the parameters of a SVFR clearance and the minimum altitude requirements set forth in far part 91.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: INSTRUCTOR PLT FINDS HIS ACFT IN PROX OF CLOUDS AND PROX OF OBSTRUCTION BUILDING ON HIS RETURN LAND TO 3I7, OH.

Narrative: OUR FLT DEPARTED 3I7 WBOUND FOR A DAY VFR TRAINING FLT THEN PROCEEDED TO DAY FOR TOUCH-AND-GOES. SHORTLY AFTER ARRIVING AT DAY, THE WX BEGAN TO DETERIORATE S AND W OF THE FIELD. WE ADVISED TWR OF THE WORSENING CONDITIONS AND PROCEEDED TOWARD 3I7, APPROX 7 MI W OF DAY. WHEN 2 MI W OF DAY, I REQUESTED A SVFR CLRNC DUE TO A CEILING OF APPROX 1100 FT AGL AND WORSENING VISIBILITY. THE REQUEST WAS GRANTED AND WE REMAINED AT 1650 FT MSL PASSING NEAR THE OUTSKIRTS OF UNION, OH, WHICH LIES JUST WITHIN THE DAY CLASS C SURFACE AREA, AT AN ALT OF APPROX 700 FT AGL ENRTE TO 3I7. THE CONCERN WAS THIS. A SVFR CLRNC ALLOWS 'CLR OF CLOUDS' ONLY WITHIN THE CLASS C SURFACE AREA. UNION, THE ONLY CONGESTED AREA I WAS UNABLE TO AVOID ENRTE TO 3I7, LIES JUST INSIDE THE EDGE OF DAY'S CLASS C SURFACE AREA. ONCE CLR OF THAT AREA, CLASS E AIRSPACE BEGINS AT 700 FT AGL AND WITHIN THAT AIRSPACE I MUST BE 500 FT BELOW ANY CLOUDS. SINCE THAT REQUIREMENT COULD NOT BE SATISFIED, I HAD TO REMAIN IN CLASS G, BELOW 700 FT AGL, AND 'CLR OF CLOUDS.' GND LEVEL IS BTWN APPROX 950- 1050 FT BTWN DAY AND 3I7. FURTHERMORE, WHILE OVER CONGESTED AREAS, LIKE UNION, I AM REQUIRED TO BE 1000 FT ABOVE THE HIGHEST OBSTACLE WITHIN A 2000 FT RADIUS OF THE ACFT. HAD I BEEN THE 1000 FT AGL OVER UNION, I COULD NOT HAVE DSNDED QUICKLY ENOUGH TO BE IN CLASS G UPON XING THE DAY CLASS C BOUNDARY. THE RESULT WAS THIS. WE PASSED NEAR THE OUTSKIRTS OF UNION AT APPROX 700 FT AGL, AND REMAINED AT 600 FT AGL OVER THE NONCONGESTED AREAS BTWN UNION AND 3I7. IN THE FUTURE I WILL KEEP A CLOSER EYE TO THE WX AND NOT ATTEMPT A RETURN HOME IF CONDITIONS LOOK QUESTIONABLE. AFTER LNDG, THE STUDENT AND I DISCUSSED THE PARAMETERS OF A SVFR CLRNC AND THE MINIMUM ALT REQUIREMENTS SET FORTH IN FAR PART 91.

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.