A BE58 pilot flew VFR in IMC near cones VOR.

Attributes
ACN	570244
Time
Date	200212
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
State Reference	CO
Altitude	msl bound lower : 11000 msl bound upper : 11200
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zdv.artcc
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Baron 58/58TC
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time total : 994 flight time type : 565
ASRS Report	570244
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	other personnel
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : weather inflight encounter : vfr in imc non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : exited adverse environment
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Weather
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I called FSS and was told 5000-6000 ft AGL for clouds. So I flew out of tex toward cones VOR, over to dove creek, down to cortez. Leaving tex to cones, I entered into IMC 5 mi from the VOR approximately at 11000 ft. I had 2 planes report VFR leaving in front of me, one of which reported 14500 ft VFR. I was not comfortable leaving that altitude until I was passed cones. After I passed cones, I went down to VFR at 8500-9500 ft and stayed clear of clouds. Tail of system pushed through and had lower clouds than the information I had received. I did not feel that it was safe to make a 180 degree turn back to telluride, due to box canyon terrain avoidance, both horizontally and vertically. I elected to stay IFR until passing cones and went back to VFR. My future correction will be to always fly IFR in tight sits, such as telluride, if there is any chance of clouds and/or mountain obscuration. My judgement was to stay away from terrain for a short distance.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A BE58 PLT FLEW VFR IN IMC NEAR CONES VOR.

Narrative: I CALLED FSS AND WAS TOLD 5000-6000 FT AGL FOR CLOUDS. SO I FLEW OUT OF TEX TOWARD CONES VOR, OVER TO DOVE CREEK, DOWN TO CORTEZ. LEAVING TEX TO CONES, I ENTERED INTO IMC 5 MI FROM THE VOR APPROX AT 11000 FT. I HAD 2 PLANES RPT VFR LEAVING IN FRONT OF ME, ONE OF WHICH RPTED 14500 FT VFR. I WAS NOT COMFORTABLE LEAVING THAT ALT UNTIL I WAS PASSED CONES. AFTER I PASSED CONES, I WENT DOWN TO VFR AT 8500-9500 FT AND STAYED CLR OF CLOUDS. TAIL OF SYS PUSHED THROUGH AND HAD LOWER CLOUDS THAN THE INFO I HAD RECEIVED. I DID NOT FEEL THAT IT WAS SAFE TO MAKE A 180 DEG TURN BACK TO TELLURIDE, DUE TO BOX CANYON TERRAIN AVOIDANCE, BOTH HORIZLY AND VERTLY. I ELECTED TO STAY IFR UNTIL PASSING CONES AND WENT BACK TO VFR. MY FUTURE CORRECTION WILL BE TO ALWAYS FLY IFR IN TIGHT SITS, SUCH AS TELLURIDE, IF THERE IS ANY CHANCE OF CLOUDS AND/OR MOUNTAIN OBSCURATION. MY JUDGEMENT WAS TO STAY AWAY FROM TERRAIN FOR A SHORT DISTANCE.

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.