Narrative:

I left bmg for a VFR trip back to delphi (1i9). The ceiling was at 3000-4000 ft MSL, tops to 8000 ft MSL but it was broken near bmg. As I started out, there was turbulence so I contacted indy approach and requested flight following and clearance to climb to the top of the clouds. It was given so I proceeded to do so while maintaining clear of clouds. At 9000 ft MSL, I was VFR and proceeded on course (I was cleared to 9000 ft so that is why I was there on a VFR flight). I was eventually switched to ZAU and about 10 NM south of delphi requested clearance to descend through the clouds, which were now overcast. The controller said no because I was not instrument rated. Other pilots on the frequency told the controller that there were holes in the clouds to the east so I proceeded there. I was then switched to grissom approach. While still getting the location of the holes in the clouds so as to allow a VFR descent, I eventually found one. However, it would not allow for a legal VFR descent. I informed the controller of this but noted that I was confident in my skills to make a spiral descent through the cloud deck. I was then given clearance to do so. As I started to descend, the hole closed and I became total IMC. Using the skills I had learned up to this point, I naved down without any major complications. I did inform the controller that I had lost the hole and was in a cloud. He continued to ask on my condition throughout the descent. Once I was at about 4500 ft MSL I saw the ground again but was still not legal VFR due to many puffy clouds around me. At about 3000 ft MSL I was total VFR again and then proceeded on course to delphi and landed safely. Human factors: I misjudged the WX thinking it would be wise to climb above the deck for a smoother ride and better visibility not thinking that it may have become overcast at my destination. I could have headed farther east to a better descent location but did not want to have a possible fuel conflict. I took corrective action while in IMC to maintain positive control of the aircraft and to not over exceed limitations. I do not believe that any outside factors affected the quality of my performance.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A NON IFR RATED PVT PLT GETS INVOLVED WITH IMC IN VFR FLT DURING A SHORT XCOUNTRY BACK HOME TO I19, IN.

Narrative: I LEFT BMG FOR A VFR TRIP BACK TO DELPHI (1I9). THE CEILING WAS AT 3000-4000 FT MSL, TOPS TO 8000 FT MSL BUT IT WAS BROKEN NEAR BMG. AS I STARTED OUT, THERE WAS TURB SO I CONTACTED INDY APCH AND REQUESTED FLT FOLLOWING AND CLRNC TO CLB TO THE TOP OF THE CLOUDS. IT WAS GIVEN SO I PROCEEDED TO DO SO WHILE MAINTAINING CLR OF CLOUDS. AT 9000 FT MSL, I WAS VFR AND PROCEEDED ON COURSE (I WAS CLRED TO 9000 FT SO THAT IS WHY I WAS THERE ON A VFR FLT). I WAS EVENTUALLY SWITCHED TO ZAU AND ABOUT 10 NM S OF DELPHI REQUESTED CLRNC TO DSND THROUGH THE CLOUDS, WHICH WERE NOW OVCST. THE CTLR SAID NO BECAUSE I WAS NOT INST RATED. OTHER PLTS ON THE FREQ TOLD THE CTLR THAT THERE WERE HOLES IN THE CLOUDS TO THE E SO I PROCEEDED THERE. I WAS THEN SWITCHED TO GRISSOM APCH. WHILE STILL GETTING THE LOCATION OF THE HOLES IN THE CLOUDS SO AS TO ALLOW A VFR DSCNT, I EVENTUALLY FOUND ONE. HOWEVER, IT WOULD NOT ALLOW FOR A LEGAL VFR DSCNT. I INFORMED THE CTLR OF THIS BUT NOTED THAT I WAS CONFIDENT IN MY SKILLS TO MAKE A SPIRAL DSCNT THROUGH THE CLOUD DECK. I WAS THEN GIVEN CLRNC TO DO SO. AS I STARTED TO DSND, THE HOLE CLOSED AND I BECAME TOTAL IMC. USING THE SKILLS I HAD LEARNED UP TO THIS POINT, I NAVED DOWN WITHOUT ANY MAJOR COMPLICATIONS. I DID INFORM THE CTLR THAT I HAD LOST THE HOLE AND WAS IN A CLOUD. HE CONTINUED TO ASK ON MY CONDITION THROUGHOUT THE DSCNT. ONCE I WAS AT ABOUT 4500 FT MSL I SAW THE GND AGAIN BUT WAS STILL NOT LEGAL VFR DUE TO MANY PUFFY CLOUDS AROUND ME. AT ABOUT 3000 FT MSL I WAS TOTAL VFR AGAIN AND THEN PROCEEDED ON COURSE TO DELPHI AND LANDED SAFELY. HUMAN FACTORS: I MISJUDGED THE WX THINKING IT WOULD BE WISE TO CLB ABOVE THE DECK FOR A SMOOTHER RIDE AND BETTER VISIBILITY NOT THINKING THAT IT MAY HAVE BECOME OVCST AT MY DEST. I COULD HAVE HEADED FARTHER E TO A BETTER DSCNT LOCATION BUT DID NOT WANT TO HAVE A POSSIBLE FUEL CONFLICT. I TOOK CORRECTIVE ACTION WHILE IN IMC TO MAINTAIN POSITIVE CTL OF THE ACFT AND TO NOT OVER EXCEED LIMITATIONS. I DO NOT BELIEVE THAT ANY OUTSIDE FACTORS AFFECTED THE QUALITY OF MY PERFORMANCE.

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.