Narrative:

I was on a VFR flight from ort to mri. Reports from destination area were 500 ft few, 3000 ft broken, 4000 ft overcast, and 10 mi visibility, so good conditions were expected. The last 5 mi in the chickaloon pass (approximately 40 mi from anchorage) had increasing bands of low clouds under a 4000 ft overcast but still VFR. We came out of the pass near paq. Even though we could hear a pilot on the radio, we couldn't see the field from 3 mi out due to low clouds. We asked FSS (kenai) about an IFR clearance. They said to call zan on approach. We tried center while circling in a hole with good visibility and room to climb a bit. No answer from center (typical unless you are on an IFR plan or call emergency). Approach gave a code. By then we were at 2000 ft and good visibility so we tried to continue VFR. This was a mistake. Lowering ceilings pushed us back down to approximately 1000 ft MSL (approximately 900 AGL) by bcv. As we turned west toward anchorage, approach called traffic at 800 ft, 1/2 mi, and 12 O'clock. We were at 900 ft and headed toward a cloud that clearly went down to 500 ft or lower, so I initiated a climb up into IMC. As we popped through, we saw the traffic directly below, about 300 ft. If we had stayed on course we would have gone head-on. From here on in, the reports on conditions were correct. The reports were misleading because the wind was from the west and pushed the clouds up to the mountains. Clearly, what I should have done is circle until I could get an IFR clearance into anchorage, but it was the last leg of a long trip.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: NMAC BTWN AN SMA SEL VFR UNDERNEATH AN OVCST IN A MOUNTAIN PASS AREA AND ANOTHER UNKNOWN ACFT FOR WHICH AN ATC ADVISORY WAS ISSUED HDG TOWARD RPTR IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION. RPTR CLBED INTO IMC AND BROKE OUT IN TIME TO SEE THE OTHER ACFT PASS 300 FT BELOW HIM.

Narrative: I WAS ON A VFR FLT FROM ORT TO MRI. RPTS FROM DEST AREA WERE 500 FT FEW, 3000 FT BROKEN, 4000 FT OVCST, AND 10 MI VISIBILITY, SO GOOD CONDITIONS WERE EXPECTED. THE LAST 5 MI IN THE CHICKALOON PASS (APPROX 40 MI FROM ANCHORAGE) HAD INCREASING BANDS OF LOW CLOUDS UNDER A 4000 FT OVCST BUT STILL VFR. WE CAME OUT OF THE PASS NEAR PAQ. EVEN THOUGH WE COULD HEAR A PLT ON THE RADIO, WE COULDN'T SEE THE FIELD FROM 3 MI OUT DUE TO LOW CLOUDS. WE ASKED FSS (KENAI) ABOUT AN IFR CLRNC. THEY SAID TO CALL ZAN ON APCH. WE TRIED CTR WHILE CIRCLING IN A HOLE WITH GOOD VISIBILITY AND ROOM TO CLB A BIT. NO ANSWER FROM CTR (TYPICAL UNLESS YOU ARE ON AN IFR PLAN OR CALL EMER). APCH GAVE A CODE. BY THEN WE WERE AT 2000 FT AND GOOD VISIBILITY SO WE TRIED TO CONTINUE VFR. THIS WAS A MISTAKE. LOWERING CEILINGS PUSHED US BACK DOWN TO APPROX 1000 FT MSL (APPROX 900 AGL) BY BCV. AS WE TURNED W TOWARD ANCHORAGE, APCH CALLED TFC AT 800 FT, 1/2 MI, AND 12 O'CLOCK. WE WERE AT 900 FT AND HEADED TOWARD A CLOUD THAT CLRLY WENT DOWN TO 500 FT OR LOWER, SO I INITIATED A CLB UP INTO IMC. AS WE POPPED THROUGH, WE SAW THE TFC DIRECTLY BELOW, ABOUT 300 FT. IF WE HAD STAYED ON COURSE WE WOULD HAVE GONE HEAD-ON. FROM HERE ON IN, THE RPTS ON CONDITIONS WERE CORRECT. THE RPTS WERE MISLEADING BECAUSE THE WIND WAS FROM THE W AND PUSHED THE CLOUDS UP TO THE MOUNTAINS. CLRLY, WHAT I SHOULD HAVE DONE IS CIRCLE UNTIL I COULD GET AN IFR CLRNC INTO ANCHORAGE, BUT IT WAS THE LAST LEG OF A LONG TRIP.

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.