An AC50, on a VFR flight plan, flew into IMC WX in airport traffic pattern at pao.

Attributes
ACN	425467
Time
Date	199901
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : pao
State Reference	CA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 500 agl bound upper : 500
Environment
Flight Conditions	Marginal
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Commander 500
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	climbout : initial
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 20 flight time total : 700 flight time type : 150
ASRS Report	425467
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : vfr in imc inflight encounter : weather
Independent Detector	other controllera other other : unspecified cockpit
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

ATIS was VFR from having been SVFR within 1/2 hour prior. Flew off runway and, during upwind checklist procedures, flew too close to clouds. Tower reported loss of visual contact -- on crosswind. I flew a standard rate 180 degree climbing turn to pattern altitude and returned to the airport via standard traffic pattern. After landing, tower issued a special ATIS of 600 ft broken, 2 mi visibility. My action after finding myself below VFR minimums were 'text book' and resulted in an uneventful remainder of the flight.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN AC50, ON A VFR FLT PLAN, FLEW INTO IMC WX IN ARPT TFC PATTERN AT PAO.

Narrative: ATIS WAS VFR FROM HAVING BEEN SVFR WITHIN 1/2 HR PRIOR. FLEW OFF RWY AND, DURING UPWIND CHKLIST PROCS, FLEW TOO CLOSE TO CLOUDS. TWR RPTED LOSS OF VISUAL CONTACT -- ON XWIND. I FLEW A STANDARD RATE 180 DEG CLBING TURN TO PATTERN ALT AND RETURNED TO THE ARPT VIA STANDARD TFC PATTERN. AFTER LNDG, TWR ISSUED A SPECIAL ATIS OF 600 FT BROKEN, 2 MI VISIBILITY. MY ACTION AFTER FINDING MYSELF BELOW VFR MINIMUMS WERE 'TEXT BOOK' AND RESULTED IN AN UNEVENTFUL REMAINDER OF THE 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.