Narrative:

Event occurred while on a check ride flight (mei) with an examiner aboard. Flight was to involve 1 or 2 lndgs in the local pattern. ATIS (about 45 mins old) reported 900 ft scattered, 2100 ft broken, and reports from 2 instructors that landed just prior my departure indicated the pattern was clear of clouds, and 10 mi visibility. After departure, upon reaching 800 ft AGL, we started having to maneuver to avoid scattered clouds, and I leveled at 800 ft AGL. I requested and received a special VFR clearance from fpr tower. Just west of the field (runway 9 operation), it became increasingly difficult to remain clear of clouds. Within about 1/2 mi of the runway, on base leg, I indicated we should start a descent to stay clear of clouds, intending to descend to 600-700 ft AGL (circling minimums for fpr are 640 ft AGL) and return to land on runway 9. However, the examiner aboard did not agree, and instead, increased power to full power, started climbing, and instructed me to continue a climb to 1500 ft AGL. After that, the examiner requested an IFR clearance, and we returned to fpr for an ILS approach and landing. The climb resulted in entering some clouds before receiving the IFR clearance. Recurrence of such events could be prevented by clarifying, before a flight, responsibilities during a check ride between examiner and examinee, and discussing course of action in case of unexpected circumstances. Although the examiner is generally not the PIC, in a testing environment, it's not obvious when the examinee should challenge instructions from the examiner. Also, it is not clear who becomes PIC when the examiner takes the controls of the aircraft.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PA44 PLT ON AN EXAMINER CHK RIDE, TRANSITION FROM AN SVFR CLRNC WHILE IN THE CTL ZONE TO AN IFR RETURN, INST APCH CLRNC. PLT QUESTIONS 'WHO'S THE PIC?'

Narrative: EVENT OCCURRED WHILE ON A CHK RIDE FLT (MEI) WITH AN EXAMINER ABOARD. FLT WAS TO INVOLVE 1 OR 2 LNDGS IN THE LCL PATTERN. ATIS (ABOUT 45 MINS OLD) RPTED 900 FT SCATTERED, 2100 FT BROKEN, AND RPTS FROM 2 INSTRUCTORS THAT LANDED JUST PRIOR MY DEP INDICATED THE PATTERN WAS CLR OF CLOUDS, AND 10 MI VISIBILITY. AFTER DEP, UPON REACHING 800 FT AGL, WE STARTED HAVING TO MANEUVER TO AVOID SCATTERED CLOUDS, AND I LEVELED AT 800 FT AGL. I REQUESTED AND RECEIVED A SPECIAL VFR CLRNC FROM FPR TWR. JUST W OF THE FIELD (RWY 9 OP), IT BECAME INCREASINGLY DIFFICULT TO REMAIN CLR OF CLOUDS. WITHIN ABOUT 1/2 MI OF THE RWY, ON BASE LEG, I INDICATED WE SHOULD START A DSCNT TO STAY CLR OF CLOUDS, INTENDING TO DSND TO 600-700 FT AGL (CIRCLING MINIMUMS FOR FPR ARE 640 FT AGL) AND RETURN TO LAND ON RWY 9. HOWEVER, THE EXAMINER ABOARD DID NOT AGREE, AND INSTEAD, INCREASED PWR TO FULL PWR, STARTED CLBING, AND INSTRUCTED ME TO CONTINUE A CLB TO 1500 FT AGL. AFTER THAT, THE EXAMINER REQUESTED AN IFR CLRNC, AND WE RETURNED TO FPR FOR AN ILS APCH AND LNDG. THE CLB RESULTED IN ENTERING SOME CLOUDS BEFORE RECEIVING THE IFR CLRNC. RECURRENCE OF SUCH EVENTS COULD BE PREVENTED BY CLARIFYING, BEFORE A FLT, RESPONSIBILITIES DURING A CHK RIDE BTWN EXAMINER AND EXAMINEE, AND DISCUSSING COURSE OF ACTION IN CASE OF UNEXPECTED CIRCUMSTANCES. ALTHOUGH THE EXAMINER IS GENERALLY NOT THE PIC, IN A TESTING ENVIRONMENT, IT'S NOT OBVIOUS WHEN THE EXAMINEE SHOULD CHALLENGE INSTRUCTIONS FROM THE EXAMINER. ALSO, IT IS NOT CLR WHO BECOMES PIC WHEN THE EXAMINER TAKES THE CTLS OF THE ACFT.

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.