Narrative:

Before departing corvallis (cvo) on a flight direct to aurora airport (uao), I received a WX briefing from flight service. The briefing indicated VFR conditions and ceilings at eugene (eug), which was directly along my flight path and altitude of 6500 ft. I departed corvallis and it became evident that the ceiling was lower than reported, so I chose to cruising altitude of 2300 ft MSL. The cloud bases appeared to be between 2900-3000 ft MSL, this allowing for mandatory cloud clearance minimums for class D/east airspaces. I received clearance to, and transitioned VFR, eug's airspace at 2300 ft, just to the east of the airport. The controller at eug tower twice inquired about the ht of the cloud bases. To his first inquiry I gave him the MSL altitude of 2900 ft as my estimate for cloud bases. On the second inquiry the controller inquired about the base of clouds that were to my left approximately 3000-4000 ft. I responded that the clouds to my left were approximately 2700 ft MSL (this still providing cloud clearance minimums). After leaving eug's airspace, I listened to ATIS to make sure I had the current altimeter setting. At this time I heard the reported ceiling to be lower than I had estimated. I then realized that I may have been closer to the clouds than I estimated. The report was from a position west of my route of flight and not for my exact position. Nevertheless, it is possible that I was closer to the clouds than I estimated, and that I broke VFR class D cloud clearance minimums. This possible error on my part was in no way intentional, and could have been avoided easily. In retrospect, I should have listened to eug ATIS directly before entering their airspace to find out reported cloud base ht, instead of relying on my estimation. In the future, I will utilize forecasts more intelligently in decision making. I will also give myself a larger margin of error -- especially when estimation is a deciding factor. This is an error I hope to never make again, and one that has taught me a valuable lesson towards safer flying.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A C152 PVT PLT VOICES CONCERNS OVER POSSIBLY FLYING CLOSER TO CLOUDS, WITH RESPECT TO VERT SEPARATION, THAN PLANNED WHEN W OF EUG, OR.

Narrative: BEFORE DEPARTING CORVALLIS (CVO) ON A FLT DIRECT TO AURORA ARPT (UAO), I RECEIVED A WX BRIEFING FROM FLT SVC. THE BRIEFING INDICATED VFR CONDITIONS AND CEILINGS AT EUGENE (EUG), WHICH WAS DIRECTLY ALONG MY FLT PATH AND ALT OF 6500 FT. I DEPARTED CORVALLIS AND IT BECAME EVIDENT THAT THE CEILING WAS LOWER THAN RPTED, SO I CHOSE TO CRUISING ALT OF 2300 FT MSL. THE CLOUD BASES APPEARED TO BE BTWN 2900-3000 FT MSL, THIS ALLOWING FOR MANDATORY CLOUD CLRNC MINIMUMS FOR CLASS D/E AIRSPACES. I RECEIVED CLRNC TO, AND TRANSITIONED VFR, EUG'S AIRSPACE AT 2300 FT, JUST TO THE E OF THE ARPT. THE CTLR AT EUG TWR TWICE INQUIRED ABOUT THE HT OF THE CLOUD BASES. TO HIS FIRST INQUIRY I GAVE HIM THE MSL ALT OF 2900 FT AS MY ESTIMATE FOR CLOUD BASES. ON THE SECOND INQUIRY THE CTLR INQUIRED ABOUT THE BASE OF CLOUDS THAT WERE TO MY L APPROX 3000-4000 FT. I RESPONDED THAT THE CLOUDS TO MY L WERE APPROX 2700 FT MSL (THIS STILL PROVIDING CLOUD CLRNC MINIMUMS). AFTER LEAVING EUG'S AIRSPACE, I LISTENED TO ATIS TO MAKE SURE I HAD THE CURRENT ALTIMETER SETTING. AT THIS TIME I HEARD THE RPTED CEILING TO BE LOWER THAN I HAD ESTIMATED. I THEN REALIZED THAT I MAY HAVE BEEN CLOSER TO THE CLOUDS THAN I ESTIMATED. THE RPT WAS FROM A POS W OF MY RTE OF FLT AND NOT FOR MY EXACT POS. NEVERTHELESS, IT IS POSSIBLE THAT I WAS CLOSER TO THE CLOUDS THAN I ESTIMATED, AND THAT I BROKE VFR CLASS D CLOUD CLRNC MINIMUMS. THIS POSSIBLE ERROR ON MY PART WAS IN NO WAY INTENTIONAL, AND COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED EASILY. IN RETROSPECT, I SHOULD HAVE LISTENED TO EUG ATIS DIRECTLY BEFORE ENTERING THEIR AIRSPACE TO FIND OUT RPTED CLOUD BASE HT, INSTEAD OF RELYING ON MY ESTIMATION. IN THE FUTURE, I WILL UTILIZE FORECASTS MORE INTELLIGENTLY IN DECISION MAKING. I WILL ALSO GIVE MYSELF A LARGER MARGIN OF ERROR -- ESPECIALLY WHEN ESTIMATION IS A DECIDING FACTOR. THIS IS AN ERROR I HOPE TO NEVER MAKE AGAIN, AND ONE THAT HAS TAUGHT ME A VALUABLE LESSON TOWARDS SAFER FLYING.

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.