Instrument rated private pilot inadvertently on a solo cross country flew into clouds during departure climb in mountainous terrain resulting in requesting help from ATC back to VFR conditions.

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Attributes
ACN	483081
Time
Date	200008
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : psp.airport
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3000 msl bound upper : 4000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Weather Elements	other
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : psp.tracon
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Navigation In Use	other vortac
Flight Phase	climbout : vacating altitude
Route In Use	departure : vfr
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 82 flight time total : 135 flight time type : 82
ASRS Report	483081
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : weather inflight encounter : vfr in imc non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : provided flight assist flight crew : exited adverse environment
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew Other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Weather
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

It was aug/xa/00 around XA45, when I departed from psp going back to montgomery for my solo cross country flight. At 3000 ft I was still climbing to 8500 ft, there were clouds passing through the valley. I was already making corrective actions trying to avoid the clouds heading towards my direction. The clouds were moving so fast that I was caught inside the clouds even before I could avoid and fly over it. I was not familiar with the area so I didn't want to make any big deviation from my planned course. I planned to head back but I was not sure if I would be hitting any mountains, if I turned. So, I decided to ask the ATC controller if I was clear from any obstructions and he advised me to a heading I could turn to. It was not my intention to fly into the clouds because I was in VFR flight. To prevent a recurrence of this event, circling to climb until an altitude clear from clouds is reached should be done.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: INST RATED PVT PLT INADVERTENTLY ON A SOLO XCOUNTRY FLEW INTO CLOUDS DURING DEP CLB IN MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN RESULTING IN REQUESTING HELP FROM ATC BACK TO VFR CONDITIONS.

Narrative: IT WAS AUG/XA/00 AROUND XA45, WHEN I DEPARTED FROM PSP GOING BACK TO MONTGOMERY FOR MY SOLO XCOUNTRY FLT. AT 3000 FT I WAS STILL CLBING TO 8500 FT, THERE WERE CLOUDS PASSING THROUGH THE VALLEY. I WAS ALREADY MAKING CORRECTIVE ACTIONS TRYING TO AVOID THE CLOUDS HDG TOWARDS MY DIRECTION. THE CLOUDS WERE MOVING SO FAST THAT I WAS CAUGHT INSIDE THE CLOUDS EVEN BEFORE I COULD AVOID AND FLY OVER IT. I WAS NOT FAMILIAR WITH THE AREA SO I DIDN'T WANT TO MAKE ANY BIG DEV FROM MY PLANNED COURSE. I PLANNED TO HEAD BACK BUT I WAS NOT SURE IF I WOULD BE HITTING ANY MOUNTAINS, IF I TURNED. SO, I DECIDED TO ASK THE ATC CTLR IF I WAS CLR FROM ANY OBSTRUCTIONS AND HE ADVISED ME TO A HDG I COULD TURN TO. IT WAS NOT MY INTENTION TO FLY INTO THE CLOUDS BECAUSE I WAS IN VFR FLT. TO PREVENT A RECURRENCE OF THIS EVENT, CIRCLING TO CLB UNTIL AN ALT CLR FROM CLOUDS IS REACHED SHOULD BE DONE.

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.