Narrative:

Apr/xa/99, baron aircraft departed bis en route to hii with a proposed fuel stop at cpr. After getting a WX briefing at bis, we were told it was a perfect VFR day. Much to our surprise, the WX in western south dakota and northeastern wyoming was not as predicted. I called flight watch and was told this had just developed. It started snowing, the clouds were scattered and broken at 6000 ft, 12000 ft, and 17000 ft. We were on VFR flight following at this time with ZDV. Realizing that we did not want to get into the snow and ice, I notified denver we were going to go higher. At about 17000 ft we were not topping all the clouds, so I advised denver that I was a VFR pilot only and could I go to FL185, as that would probably top the clouds. Denver authority/authorized me to enter class a airspace. At all times we remained VFR. At about this time, another baron came on and reported the tops at FL220. The controller asked me if I heard the report and asked if I wanted to go to FL220 and go direct to grand junction. I welcomed the offer. At all times we could see the ground through the broken and scattered clouds. At about FL199 I advised center the airplane would not climb anymore and asked for lower. Denver at this time changed controllers and authority/authorized me to descend to 14000 ft. Things were good at 14000 ft until I was about to go IMC. I notified this new controller that I needed lower. This controller told me to stay at 14000 ft as he had traffic departing from cpr. Once again I informed this controller that I was not IFR rated and about to go into IMC. I told him I would be turning 180 degrees. He then advised me to stay VFR and do what it took to stay that way. Upon landing at cpr, I was told to call ZDV, which I did. The supervisor was going to look into the event and said to have a nice day.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: BE55 PLT RECEIVED CLRNC TO CLB INTO CLASS A AIRSPACE ON VFR FLT.

Narrative: APR/XA/99, BARON ACFT DEPARTED BIS ENRTE TO HII WITH A PROPOSED FUEL STOP AT CPR. AFTER GETTING A WX BRIEFING AT BIS, WE WERE TOLD IT WAS A PERFECT VFR DAY. MUCH TO OUR SURPRISE, THE WX IN WESTERN SOUTH DAKOTA AND NORTHEASTERN WYOMING WAS NOT AS PREDICTED. I CALLED FLT WATCH AND WAS TOLD THIS HAD JUST DEVELOPED. IT STARTED SNOWING, THE CLOUDS WERE SCATTERED AND BROKEN AT 6000 FT, 12000 FT, AND 17000 FT. WE WERE ON VFR FLT FOLLOWING AT THIS TIME WITH ZDV. REALIZING THAT WE DID NOT WANT TO GET INTO THE SNOW AND ICE, I NOTIFIED DENVER WE WERE GOING TO GO HIGHER. AT ABOUT 17000 FT WE WERE NOT TOPPING ALL THE CLOUDS, SO I ADVISED DENVER THAT I WAS A VFR PLT ONLY AND COULD I GO TO FL185, AS THAT WOULD PROBABLY TOP THE CLOUDS. DENVER AUTH ME TO ENTER CLASS A AIRSPACE. AT ALL TIMES WE REMAINED VFR. AT ABOUT THIS TIME, ANOTHER BARON CAME ON AND RPTED THE TOPS AT FL220. THE CTLR ASKED ME IF I HEARD THE RPT AND ASKED IF I WANTED TO GO TO FL220 AND GO DIRECT TO GRAND JUNCTION. I WELCOMED THE OFFER. AT ALL TIMES WE COULD SEE THE GND THROUGH THE BROKEN AND SCATTERED CLOUDS. AT ABOUT FL199 I ADVISED CTR THE AIRPLANE WOULD NOT CLB ANYMORE AND ASKED FOR LOWER. DENVER AT THIS TIME CHANGED CTLRS AND AUTH ME TO DSND TO 14000 FT. THINGS WERE GOOD AT 14000 FT UNTIL I WAS ABOUT TO GO IMC. I NOTIFIED THIS NEW CTLR THAT I NEEDED LOWER. THIS CTLR TOLD ME TO STAY AT 14000 FT AS HE HAD TFC DEPARTING FROM CPR. ONCE AGAIN I INFORMED THIS CTLR THAT I WAS NOT IFR RATED AND ABOUT TO GO INTO IMC. I TOLD HIM I WOULD BE TURNING 180 DEGS. HE THEN ADVISED ME TO STAY VFR AND DO WHAT IT TOOK TO STAY THAT WAY. UPON LNDG AT CPR, I WAS TOLD TO CALL ZDV, WHICH I DID. THE SUPVR WAS GOING TO LOOK INTO THE EVENT AND SAID TO HAVE A NICE DAY.

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.