Narrative:

It was a simple VFR flight from bdr to mmk. My friend flew the first leg. As we climbed to 3500 ft MSL, we were surprised by how poor the forward visibility was. We questioned whether we should continue or return and decided if we descended to 2500 ft MSL the visibility would improve. The visibility was poor due to haze. I estimate forward visibility was about 3-4 mi. I flew the leg back. We took off at about XA10 local time. I climbed to 3000 ft, on the way getting the ATIS at bdr. Bdr reported no ceiling and visibility better than 10 mi. Within mins of leveling, we saw wisps of clouds and then before we knew it we were in IMC. My friend suggested we descend below the clouds, but I decided to climb above them (we could tell it was not a thick layer. Upon climbing, I contacted new york approach on 126.95 and asked for an IFR clearance to bdr. We were cleared, basically flew VMC back to bdr, and landed without event (we had the ILS runway 6 approach). In retrospect, things might have been different if: 1) I had descended immediately upon seeing wisps of clouds. My concern, however, was how low I'd have to go. 2) the temperature/dewpoint spread was 4 degrees C. This combined with the haze we observed on the flight mmk and the setting sun (lower temperatures) might have given us some idea that clouds could form at lower altitudes. 3) flying during dusk made it much more difficult to see the clouds.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PA28A PLT FLIES INTO INST CONDITIONS ON VFR FLT PLAN.

Narrative: IT WAS A SIMPLE VFR FLT FROM BDR TO MMK. MY FRIEND FLEW THE FIRST LEG. AS WE CLBED TO 3500 FT MSL, WE WERE SURPRISED BY HOW POOR THE FORWARD VISIBILITY WAS. WE QUESTIONED WHETHER WE SHOULD CONTINUE OR RETURN AND DECIDED IF WE DSNDED TO 2500 FT MSL THE VISIBILITY WOULD IMPROVE. THE VISIBILITY WAS POOR DUE TO HAZE. I ESTIMATE FORWARD VISIBILITY WAS ABOUT 3-4 MI. I FLEW THE LEG BACK. WE TOOK OFF AT ABOUT XA10 LCL TIME. I CLBED TO 3000 FT, ON THE WAY GETTING THE ATIS AT BDR. BDR RPTED NO CEILING AND VISIBILITY BETTER THAN 10 MI. WITHIN MINS OF LEVELING, WE SAW WISPS OF CLOUDS AND THEN BEFORE WE KNEW IT WE WERE IN IMC. MY FRIEND SUGGESTED WE DSND BELOW THE CLOUDS, BUT I DECIDED TO CLB ABOVE THEM (WE COULD TELL IT WAS NOT A THICK LAYER. UPON CLBING, I CONTACTED NEW YORK APCH ON 126.95 AND ASKED FOR AN IFR CLRNC TO BDR. WE WERE CLRED, BASICALLY FLEW VMC BACK TO BDR, AND LANDED WITHOUT EVENT (WE HAD THE ILS RWY 6 APCH). IN RETROSPECT, THINGS MIGHT HAVE BEEN DIFFERENT IF: 1) I HAD DSNDED IMMEDIATELY UPON SEEING WISPS OF CLOUDS. MY CONCERN, HOWEVER, WAS HOW LOW I'D HAVE TO GO. 2) THE TEMP/DEWPOINT SPREAD WAS 4 DEGS C. THIS COMBINED WITH THE HAZE WE OBSERVED ON THE FLT MMK AND THE SETTING SUN (LOWER TEMPS) MIGHT HAVE GIVEN US SOME IDEA THAT CLOUDS COULD FORM AT LOWER ALTS. 3) FLYING DURING DUSK MADE IT MUCH MORE DIFFICULT TO SEE THE CLOUDS.

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.