Narrative:

Being VFR on top and with WX advisory, the cloud tops were at 7500 ft extended much further than anticipated. I could not see the ground because of the cloud layer. After getting advisory from FSS, we contacted clt approach to try to find us a hole to descend through. With 3.5 hours of fuel on board, we followed ATC advisories for approximately 1.25 hours with no holes in the clouds to be found. We then descended through the cloud deck with ATC's help and found VFR at 4000 ft, and proceeded to akh (gastonia, nc) and landed. I have 41 hours of IFR training and will be finishing very soon to get my IFR endorsement.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A NON INST RATED PA38 PVT PLT FINDS HIMSELF ABOVE CLT AND THE CLOUDS WITH NO WAY TO GET DOWN IN VISUAL CONDITIONS.

Narrative: BEING VFR ON TOP AND WITH WX ADVISORY, THE CLOUD TOPS WERE AT 7500 FT EXTENDED MUCH FURTHER THAN ANTICIPATED. I COULD NOT SEE THE GND BECAUSE OF THE CLOUD LAYER. AFTER GETTING ADVISORY FROM FSS, WE CONTACTED CLT APCH TO TRY TO FIND US A HOLE TO DSND THROUGH. WITH 3.5 HRS OF FUEL ON BOARD, WE FOLLOWED ATC ADVISORIES FOR APPROX 1.25 HRS WITH NO HOLES IN THE CLOUDS TO BE FOUND. WE THEN DSNDED THROUGH THE CLOUD DECK WITH ATC'S HELP AND FOUND VFR AT 4000 FT, AND PROCEEDED TO AKH (GASTONIA, NC) AND LANDED. I HAVE 41 HRS OF IFR TRAINING AND WILL BE FINISHING VERY SOON TO GET MY IFR ENDORSEMENT.

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.