Narrative:

I was VFR northbound on V16 at 7500 ft from rdu to hpn. I was receiving flight following from ZDC. Conditions for first 45 mins of flight were cavu. Approximately 10 mins prior to the incident, I passed over an isolated area of scattered/broken clouds with uniform tops of approximately 6500 ft. I passed over this area in a matter of mins and encountered very clear air, again until 10 mins later. This area of cloud appeared similar and I assumed I would pass over the tops well above the required clearance. Unfortunately, I quickly realized that these tops were variable and would require a change in altitude to remain VFR. As I was about to call center and advise of my intentions to climb to 9500 ft, center advised of traffic at 8000 ft. I advised of my intention to change altitude to maintain VFR and was told by center that I would be clear of traffic momentarily and could then ascend on descend. Accordingly, I remained at 7500 ft and entered the cloud tops for 30-40 seconds. Upon breaking out of IMC, the skies were clear for the balance of the flight to hpn. Conclusion: having passed well above the previous small area of cloud mins earlier, I became overly confident (hopeful) that I would do likewise over the second cloud area.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA ACFT IN CRUISE, NO FLT PLAN, BUT UNDER FLT FOLLOWING BY CTR. RPTR PLT ENCOUNTERED CLOUDS AT HIS CRUISE ALT, BUT DUE TO PROX OF TFC, ATC COULD NOT CLR A CLB IMMEDIATELY. CONSEQUENTLY, RPTR ENTERED AREA OF IFR WITH NO FLT PLAN. RPTR SAYS HE WAS IN THE CLOUDS FOR ONLY 30- 40 SECONDS.

Narrative: I WAS VFR NBOUND ON V16 AT 7500 FT FROM RDU TO HPN. I WAS RECEIVING FLT FOLLOWING FROM ZDC. CONDITIONS FOR FIRST 45 MINS OF FLT WERE CAVU. APPROX 10 MINS PRIOR TO THE INCIDENT, I PASSED OVER AN ISOLATED AREA OF SCATTERED/BROKEN CLOUDS WITH UNIFORM TOPS OF APPROX 6500 FT. I PASSED OVER THIS AREA IN A MATTER OF MINS AND ENCOUNTERED VERY CLR AIR, AGAIN UNTIL 10 MINS LATER. THIS AREA OF CLOUD APPEARED SIMILAR AND I ASSUMED I WOULD PASS OVER THE TOPS WELL ABOVE THE REQUIRED CLRNC. UNFORTUNATELY, I QUICKLY REALIZED THAT THESE TOPS WERE VARIABLE AND WOULD REQUIRE A CHANGE IN ALT TO REMAIN VFR. AS I WAS ABOUT TO CALL CTR AND ADVISE OF MY INTENTIONS TO CLB TO 9500 FT, CTR ADVISED OF TFC AT 8000 FT. I ADVISED OF MY INTENTION TO CHANGE ALT TO MAINTAIN VFR AND WAS TOLD BY CTR THAT I WOULD BE CLR OF TFC MOMENTARILY AND COULD THEN ASCEND ON DSND. ACCORDINGLY, I REMAINED AT 7500 FT AND ENTERED THE CLOUD TOPS FOR 30-40 SECONDS. UPON BREAKING OUT OF IMC, THE SKIES WERE CLR FOR THE BAL OF THE FLT TO HPN. CONCLUSION: HAVING PASSED WELL ABOVE THE PREVIOUS SMALL AREA OF CLOUD MINS EARLIER, I BECAME OVERLY CONFIDENT (HOPEFUL) THAT I WOULD DO LIKEWISE OVER THE SECOND CLOUD AREA.

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.